Satan's Triplets
by Max Wolfwing
Summary: What if Rin and Yukio weren't the only children born of Satan?  What if...they were triplets?  And what if the other child was a girl?  And what if she had the Flames of Satan, but no Kurikara?  Rated T for language.  I don't own Blue Exorcist.
1. Chapter 1

I've always seen them. The monsters. But I didn't know what they were called until _he_ came and told me what they were.

The day I met him was pretty typical. My adoptive dad and I had fought the night before and, despite the best efforts from Mom, weren't speaking to each other. Again. So he left for work that morning without saying good-bye. Again.

Mom had sighed and kissed my forehead, saying he'd cool down later and would talk to me again. "Maybe this time he'll accept you for you," she'd said hopefully. She always said that. It had yet to come true. For ten years Dad and I had fought. At first he'd thought the monsters were my imagination, but when I continued to talk about them well past the age of wild images at night, he'd began to argue with me, saying I was making up stories to get attention. "Shut up about the stupid monsters!" he'd always scream. "They are not real! Quit vying for attention!" I'd always fight back and Mom would cry, usually not in front of me, but I heard her when she'd leave the room. I hated making her cry, but God damn it, I was anything but a pushover, and I refused to let Dad win any quarrel we had.

Sighing, I made myself breakfast, packing my bag for school. The first term started tomorrow, but I wanted to be ready today, so I wouldn't forget anything the next morning when I left at six, which was o'dark early for me.

Mom left, slamming the door to make sure it stayed shut. The stupid thing never shut right when closed softly and you had to slam it hard to make sure it was shut. A few minutes after she left, there was a knock at the door.

Munching on my toast with sweet bean paste slathered on it, I opened the door to see a boy my age standing there in a school uniform, one I recognized. He was from True Cross Academy, one of the most reputed schools in the country. It had a record for turning out the best doctors, lawyers, and other experts. The boy had black hair that got in the way of his blue eyes that looked a lot like mine. He was slightly taller than me, my nose coming just about to his chin. As I studied him I said, "I'm Safaia Tottori. Who the hell are you and what do you want?"

He blinked. "Err…um…that is, I…" he stammered.

"If you're just going to waste my time then leave," I snapped, starting to shut the door.

"No, wait!" he yelped, leaping forward and grabbing the handle, pushing back to keep the door open. He was surprisingly strong, his strength actually giving me a run for my money. For as long as I could remember, no one, not even an adult, had matched my physical strength. I'd been known to break adult bones when I got into physical fights. I'd even broken Dad's collarbone once when he'd hit me and I'd hit back. I'd also managed to fracture two of his ribs. That had been when I was five.

"Who are you?" I growled, shoving back with all my might, still trying to shut the door.

"My name's Rin Okumura!" he said, shoving the door with his shoulder. "Please, I just want to talk! I swear!"

I let go of my side of the door and stepped back, watching with pleasure as he stumbled at the sudden absence of my force on the door. "Come on, then," I said gruffly, not waiting for his dumbstruck ass to follow me into the kitchen, where I could smell my pancakes burning. Damn. Stupid kid had made me burn my breakfast. Now I was really pissed.

Storming into the kitchen with the boy in tow, I motioned to the kitchen table and gruffly said, "You can sit there. Want anything? Water, a pancake?" I hurried to the stove and quickly flipped the little cakes, grimacing at their slightly burned tops.

"Uh, sure, I'll have a pancake," Okumura said, looking over my shoulder at the food. "Um, can I try cooking them?" He pointed at the griddle and gave me a questioning look.

Frowning, I slowly said, "Sure, I guess. There's not much you can do for them, though." Giving the pancakes a rueful look, I handed him the spatula and went to the fridge, pulling out a carton of milk. "Want some?" I asked, holding it up so he could see.

"Nah. Got any syrup?" He expertly flipped the finished cakes onto the plate I'd set out.

"I hope you like blueberry, 'cause that's all we got," I said, pulling the bottle out of the fridge and replacing the milk.

"Blueberry's my favorite," he smiled. "How about butter?"

"Here." I slid the tub to him.

"Great. Can you get me another two plates?" he asked kindly.

I grabbed the plates out of the cupboard and set them down on the counter. "There, is that all his majesty needs?" I asked sarcastically.

He turned pink. "I'm sorry," he snapped. "I'm just trying to help you. I'm a great cook, you know."

"No, I don't know," I shot back, my temper rising. I did my best to hold myself back. If I wasn't careful, the flames would come out. "And I'll be the test on whether or not you're a great cook. Gimme those pancakes."

"They're not done," he growled, and quickly slathered butter onto four of the cakes. He angrily flipped two onto one plate and the other two onto the other. He snatched the bottle of syrup and his plate and sat down at the table, fuming. Coating his cakes in syrup, and demanded, "Where's the silverware?"

"Here," I snapped, throwing a fork at him, which he caught with surprising ease.

Muttering darkly to myself, I grabbed my own pancakes and poured some syrup on them. Snatching up my own fork, I proceeded to eat them from the counter.

That first bite was pancake heaven. The butter had completely melted away any burned tastes, and the syrup made them even sweeter. I had to quickly swallow before my mouth dropped open in surprise. I shot the boy a look. "How the hell did you do this?" I asked, my anger dissolved for the moment.

He gave me a grin and said, "Told you I was a great cook."

Shaking my head in wonder, something occurred to me. "You also told me you wanted to talk to me about something. So talk. What's so important that you almost help me break my own front door and then cook me these amazing pancakes?"

He suddenly stopped chewing and his face grew cold and…a little sad. He stared out the window. I watched him, wondering why he wasn't saying anything. I watched his eyes, then traced his gaze. He seemed to be staring at…one of the monsters. It was a little black one, its body looking like a cat's head with a prehensile tail. I referred to these ones as "cat heads," as my six-year-old brain having nothing else to call them when I'd first seen them. The boy's eyes followed the path of the cat head, watching it float around outside the window. Past it, I could see a whole swarm of them around my mother's mushroom garden.

"You can see them?" I blurted.

He looked back at me, surprised. "Yeah, I can see the coal tars," he said.

"The what?" I asked.

"The coal tars," he said again. He pointed to the cat head. "Those things. They're demons. They're the kind that possesses fungi and dust. They like to hang around those and dark, depressing people. I'm kinda surprised they're not swarming you, with your charming personality." He grinned and said, "Then again, I'm not all that surprised considering…" He frowned and looked away, once again following the "coal tar" with his eyes.

"Considering what?" I demanded, frustrated. "You're making less and less sense the more you talk. Tell me what you want to tell me, damn it!"

The boy sighed and said, "God, there's no easy way to say this. Ok, you wanted to know. Don't say I didn't warn you." He turned and stared into my eyes. "My name's Rin Okumura. I'm the son of Satan. We believe you're my triplet sister."

My jaw dropped again. I was rendered speechless for the first time of my life. "So…" I said slowly. "I'm not insane?"

Rin's turn to drop his jaw. "Of all the things I thought you'd say, that was not one of them," he said. "Aren't you supposed to call me insane?"

"Well, since you can see the…demons too, either we're both insane or we're both in our right minds," I said. "I'm not so sure about us being triplets, though."

"I can prove that," he said easily. "Have you ever suddenly burst into blue flames, when you've been angry or scared or whatever?"

Once again I was stunned into silence for a moment. "How did you know?" I asked. Whenever I'd been angry, for as long as I'd seen the demons, I'd burst into blue flames. I'd eventually learned to control them, keeping them in check when I'd get angry, summoning them for when I needed to scare somebody off. I didn't make many friends that way. Only when I'd ever been truly outraged had they come out. Except…except for a few weeks ago. I'd been in my room, cleaning it, when I'd suddenly burst into flames. They'd roared out of my control, eating up everything within their reach, which had been just about everything in my room. Strangely enough, they didn't burn me. I'd only felt a warm tingle across my skin. My clothes hadn't burned, either. And, just as quickly as they'd come, they'd disappeared.

My room had been disintegrated into little more than ashes. It was what my adoptive father and I had been arguing about the night before. He'd thought I'd been playing with a lighter and had set my room on fire for some odd reason, and of course he didn't believe me when I told him what had happened. I'd even tried showing him my fire, but I wasn't able to summon it, for some reason.

"It happened to me, too," he said, suddenly pulling a sword from behind him. Somehow, he'd been able to hide it in the back of his shirt. It looked like a normal katana with a sheath, except for a small part of the sheath had a small hole that was…leaking some smoke.

"What is that?" I asked.

Rin grinned. "I'll show you," he said, and unsheathed the sword. Suddenly both he and I burst into flames, along with his sword. I yelped and leaped back, hitting the counter. All of the sudden, the flames on me went out. I looked back, wide-eyed, at Rin, who had…changed. His teeth were suddenly way more pointed, along with his ears, which looked like an elf's. His eyes were literally glowing, and he had a tail with fur on the end. Two spurts of blue flame were on his head, aligned like horns. He actually looked the part of Satan's son.

"What…the…hell," I murmured.

"I told you," he said. "We're the children of Satan. There are three of us." He sheathed the sword, and immediately the flames disappeared. Rin's ears shrank back to normal size, but they were still pointed, as were his teeth. I wondered how I hadn't seen that before. A small bit of motion made me look at Rin's tail. It was still there. All I could do was stare at it.

"Uh…Safaia?" he asked, shaking me out of my shock.

"Wait," I said. "You said there are three of us, three of Satan's kids."

"Yeah," he said, slinging the sword across his back. "There's me, you, and Yukio, our younger brother. We're triplets. Yukio and I originally thought we were twins, but—"

There was a sudden _BAM!_ Rin and I spun to see a crazy-ass looking man standing on top of my kitchen table, dressed in a white top hat with pink and purple around the base, purple gloves, a tie that was pink with white dots, a white suit-shirt and undershirt, jester-style pants, and pointed shoes. His hair was a dark purple and his eyes were creepily like a cat's, but forest green instead of luminescent. He looked like a real freaky clown. "My, my, Rin," the man said, jumping down off the table. "You weren't supposed to take this long. What have you been doing?" He looked at the table at Rin's plate of partially eaten pancakes, then at my plate next to me. "Cooking, I presume?" He gave the table a disgusted look.

"Who the hell are you?" I demanded, glaring at the man who'd gotten boot prints all over my nice clean table.

"His name's Mephisto Pheles," a voice said, and I spun around to see a boy who looked a lot like Rin come into my kitchen. "I'm Yukio, your younger brother," he explained. He was dressed in a long black overcoat and had a pistol in either hand. He leveled them to my head and I immediately froze. "I'm here to kill you and Rin."


	2. Chapter 2

I couldn't move. I was frozen, petrified with shock and fear. I couldn't believe that my newfound younger brother actually wanted to kill me, and Rin, the brother he'd supposedly known forever.

Speaking of Rin, he jumped in front of me, got into a defensive position, and snarled. "No, Yukio!" he yelled. "We agreed that she had a choice! Let her choose, Yukio! Please!" He pleaded his brother with his eyes. Yukio didn't move.

I heard Mephisto chuckle and watched him come and place a hand on Yukio. "My, my," he said. "What a lovely little spat! Yukio, my boy, do put your weapons down. We _did_ agree to let her choose, just as we let Rin choose. So, my dear," he said, looking at me as Yukio put his guns down but didn't let go of them. "What will it be?"

"W-What do you mean, I have a choice?" I asked, still shaken. Rin put a comforting hand on my arm, trying to sooth me. It didn't help much.

"Well, look at it this way," Mephisto said. He held up three fingers. "You have three choices. Number one, you let us kill you." I shuddered and Rin squeezed my arm. "Number two, kill us and run, hoping you don't run into anyone like us." I almost threw up. I couldn't kill anyone! "Number three, you commit suicide." I tried to take a step back, but Rin held tight to my arm and didn't let me. He gave me a steady look, trying to tell me something.

"Wait, if you found Rin and Yukio first, why aren't they dead?" I asked.

"Well, you see," Yukio explained, "we're fraternal triplets. When the three of us were born, I was underweight and the power rejected me, so only you and Rin inherited it. And it takes one of the children who inherited the power to find the other, so we needed Rin to find you. It's that simple."

"No," I said. I could see the logic behind it, but there was one fatal flaw in that reasoning. "If you'd already gotten my location from Rin, then you wouldn't need him anymore and he'd be dead. You wouldn't need him to come and kill me." I stared hard at Mephisto. "I have a fourth choice, don't I?"

Mephisto clapped his hands and smiled. "Well done!" he cried. "Well done indeed! Yukio, I believe your sister may actually be smarter than you!" I saw Yukio frown at this. Ok, well, he frowned harder, since he was already frowning. "You are correct, my dear. You _do_ have a fourth choice. Come to True Cross Academy, where I am President, and learn to be an Exorcist!"

"A what?" I asked, confused.

"An Exorcist," Rin said. "They handle demons and banish them back to Gehenna, the realm that demons come from. So, if you don't wanna die, become an Exorcist, like I am."

"That's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it?" I muttered. "Satan's kids, becoming Exorcists? All right," I said, looking up at Mephisto. "I'll become an Exorcist. Take me to True Cross Academy."

Mephisto clapped his hands again. "Excellent!" he said happily. "Now, if you'll all follow me back out to my car…" He spun and walked out of my house, not waiting to see if we were coming. Yukio followed him.

I started after them, but Rin pulled me back. He still had a hold on my arm. "Listen, I'm sorry," he apologized. "I know it's a lot for you to take in and all, but if…if there was another way…if we could somehow transfer all your power to me…so you wouldn't have to…"

I shrugged off his arm. "What are you talking about?" I asked as I followed Mephisto and Yukio. "It's not your burden to carry alone, Nii-san," I said, looking over my shoulder at my newfound big brother. He blinked and looked a little shocked at my calling him such. "If I have to hold this power too, then so be it. I'm not one to let people suffer." I turned to him full on and held up my right hand. After a moment of concentration, a small blue flame appeared in my palm. "You and I were chosen by this power for a reason," I said, manipulating the flame, making it grow and shrink. "And I think it chose two because it's too much for just one to bear." I closed my hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame. I turned and left the kitchen, heading outside to Mephisto's car, once again not waiting for Rin to catch up.

Mephisto's car, or should I say limo, was pretty cool. I could tell he was seriously rich, considering that the seats stretched all the way around the sides, except for the driver's seat and the doors. At first, all I could do was gape at the posh interior. I kid you not, it was all _bright pink._ The leather seats, the fuzzy roof, even the tinting on the windows. Well, that was a dark pink, probably to block out sunlight. Call me crazy, but Mephisto didn't seem human to me.

Mephisto coughed, and I tore my eyes away from the interior and quit trying to pet the fuzzy roof. "What?" I asked grumpily. I liked the limo. I was annoyed that he was ruining my exploring.

"My dear Safaia, there are a few matters that we must clear up," he said, pulling some papers out of a black briefcase that was next to him. I wasn't sure how I hadn't spotted it before, considering it stuck out as much as Yukio's moles did against his face. "First of all, your name," he said, shuffling the papers around to find the right one. When he found it, he handed it to me. "Legally," he explained, "your last name is Tottori, because of you adopted parents, but your real last name is Okumura, like our darling boys over here. If you want, we can fix that so you may have the same last name as your brothers." He motioned to them and Yukio looked out the window. Rin just shifted uncomfortably and fiddled with his sword in his lap. "Also, because you are underage, your legal guardians are Seiji and Chinatsu Tottori; therefore we cannot legally take you to True Cross Academy without their consent. So, we need to convince your adoptive parents to transfer your guardianship over to me, so I can enroll you into my school and you can become an Exorcist."

"Shit," I said. "Our plan is screwed, then. There's no way my dad will sign over guardianship to a…" I struggled for the right word. "A…guy like you. I mean, come on. If he doesn't believe me when I tell him about demons and stuff, what makes you think he'll let you take me, even if we prove that Yukio and Rin are my triplet brothers?"

"Well for one, we can sue if he doesn't sign you over," Mephisto said. "I have many lawyers at my disposal, who would easily inform him that, if it is proven that you three are indeed triplets, that I rightly should have custody of the three of you. I sincerely doubt that he would like to go to court against us." He gave me a creepy grin and I shuddered and looked out the window.

"Well, yeah but you don't—stop!" I yelled, and the driver slammed on the brakes. I leaned far to the right at the sudden stop and quickly sat up and looked back out the window, trying to find what I sensed.

"What is it, Safaia?" Rin asked, coming up next to me and looking out the window.

"There's a demon, right in that building!" I cried, pointing to the old building across from us. "My dad just went in there!"

We filed out of the car and I ran across the street, dodging traffic with the guys right behind me. "Safaia, wait!" Rin cried. I ignored him and ran into the building.

I crashed through the front doors and looked around. "Dad!" I called. "Dad! Where are you! Dad!"

Noises made me whirl around to see Rin, Yukio, and Mephisto come in through the doors, panting for breath. "Are you insane?" Rin yelled once he got his breath back. "You could've been hit! Or a demon could've attacked you!"

"My father's in here, damn it! And there's a demon too!" I screamed in his face. He backed up, surprised at my ferociousness. "I just can't leave him to one of Satan's underlings!" I spun and took off again, pounding up the steps.

Mephisto appeared in front of me with a _BANG_! I stumbled back and grabbed the railing to keep myself from falling. "Hold on," he said. He crossed his arms. "How are you so sure that there's a demon in this building?"

"I can sense it!" I cried. "I've always sensed them." I held up my hand. "It's like a burning in my skin! The more powerful the demon, the more my skin burns!" I turned and pleaded with Rin. "You can sense them too, right?"

He shook his head. "No," he said. "I can't sense them at all."

I looked at him in shock for a moment before turning back to Mephisto. "Please," I begged, trying not to cry. "You've got to let me go up there! Dad's in danger! Please!"

Mephisto looked me over, considering my request. "Let her go," Rin said in a scarily serious voice. Mephisto looked at him and I turned so I could, too. "She needs to do this," Rin explained. "I'll go with her. Let her go up."

"We're wasting time," Yukio said, stepping forward. "If her father's really up there with a demon, we need to go _now_."

Mephisto looked at us each in turn, and then stepped aside. Without even saying thanks I shot up the stairs past him, Yukio and Rin right on my heel. We burst onto the upper floor to a scary sight.

Dad was in the middle of the room. He had a glazed look on his face, like he wasn't here at all. His face was angled upward at the demon that held his mind captive.

The demon was a horrible sight. At first glance, it looked like a beautiful woman with huge breasts and long black hair, but at closer inspection I could see her pointed teeth and ears, not to mention the extremely long fingernails that were covered in blood. Dad's blood, I realized. There was a huge gash going from his left shoulder all the way down and across his torso. The demon was licking the blood from the wound, her forked tongue slipping in and out between her lips like a snake's.

"Da—" I managed to get out before Yukio clapped a hand over my mouth. "Shh," he whispered. "That's a siren. They inhabit the bodies of beautiful women, then sing their prey, mortal men, to their hideouts and feast upon their bodies. They can be a real force to be reckoned with, especially if their meal is interrupted."

I pulled his hand away from my mouth. "So what do we do?" I hissed. "Just let in finish snacking on my dad and then kill it?" Yukio gave me a sorrowful look. It wasn't hard to figure that I'd guessed right.

I looked back at Dad. He had a look of pure joy on his glazed face, like he didn't even know that a demon was turning him into its breakfast. Hell, he probably didn't. I wanted to do something, anything, but I didn't know what.

I looked down and out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rin's sword. He was preoccupied by watching the show, turning red in anger with each passing second. I was surprised he hadn't already attacked; he looked so angered by the scene in front of us. He was too busy getting mad that he didn't see me staring at the sword. An idea popped into my head and, being the idiot I was, I ran with it.

As fast as I could I grabbed Rin's sword from off his back and unsheathed it. He and I burst into blue fire, but his flames went out almost as soon as they'd lit. I charged the monster before Rin had a chance to take back his sword. Screaming in rage, pain, and fear, I jumped and swung at the siren, a wave of blue flame erupting from the sword. The siren leaped back from my dad, hissing its displeasure. When it saw my face, its own mug turned into a look of surprise. "Princessss," it hissed. Snarling, I leapt at it again and sliced off its arm. It howled in rage, forgot what it called me, and attacked, swiping its claw-like nails at my face. I barely dodged it and twirled Rin's sword backwards, catching the monster off-guard and stabbing it clean through its back. I yanked the sword out and watched the siren as it wailed and collapsed on the ground, dissolving into dust.

Panting, I ran and knelt by my dad, who'd fallen as soon as the siren had jumped away from him. He was face down and blood was everywhere. I sheathed the sword, feeling all of the fire disappear. "F-Father," I croaked, grabbing his shoulder and shaking him. "Wake up. Please, Daddy, wake up." He didn't move. I gripped his shoulder harder and rolled him over. "Daddy?" I asked again. All I got was a black stare from his lifeless eyes. "_Father!_" I screamed, and collapsed into tears.


	3. Chapter 3

The service a week later was short. He would've wanted it to be. Dad loved precision and neatness, not to mention respect for time quotas. He wouldn't have wanted a long, drawn-out service, with people standing around his grave and bemoaning our loss. He'd want us to grieve for a short time while we lay him to rest and get on with our lives once he was safely nuzzled into the ground. The sky seemed to mock our sadness by having a bright, sunny day with few clouds. I glared at it, silently commanding it to rain, even just a little drizzle, but the sky just laughed in my face and refused to answer my wishes.

Mephisto courteously funded the entire operation, over my mother's loud protests. He kept it quite cheap, much to our relief. Dad was a big penny saver. He didn't like spending a ton of cash on things that didn't matter; he would've considered his funeral something that didn't matter a whole lot. He believed in working hard and earning everything that came your way.

"You probably think you deserve this, don't you?" I asked his grave once everybody had gone inside after the service. "You probably think that you deserved to die for the way you treated me or some other stupid shit like that." I shook my head. "Stupid old man," I muttered. "You should've lived."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned. It was Rin. "Sorry," he murmured. "I know…I know what it's like to lose someone you care about without being able to apologize to them." I'd told him about the way Dad and I had always fought, and how I felt so bad about not apologizing to him. His face was sad and serious, and I felt like crying again. I leaned in close and he wrapped his arms around me, giving me a tight brotherly hug. Sniffling, I asked, "Does it get any easier?"

Rin hugged me tighter and said, "No, it doesn't."

"But that's what we're here for," Yukio said, coming up to us. Rin and I broke apart and Yukio wrapped me in his own hug. "We're a family," he said, reaching to Rin, who put his arms around both of us. We stood there in a three-way hug. "We're a small and strange one, granted, but we'll always help each other out, right?"

"Right," I said, burying my face into where their chests touched.

"Right," Rin echoed. "And God damn it, we're Satan's kids. Who else will help us out?" He gave me a small smile and I felt his tail move inside his shirt. I shivered as one of my tails, the prehensile one, flicked in annoyance for being under my blouse. "Even if it's us against the world," I said, hugging my brothers tight, "even if Mephisto turns us out and we're doomed to hell, which we probably are anyway, promise we'll stick together, just the three of us?"

Yukio and Rin each took one of my hands and clasped their free ones together. "Promise," they vowed, and we all broke apart to go inside for food and mingling. Strangely, I felt a lot better.

True Cross Academy was freaking _huge_. It looked like an entire city. At first, all I could do was gape at everything. It looked really old school, like no-computers-or-electricity and chamber-pots-for-toilets. I was relieved when Mephisto assured me there was running water. "Don't worry, my dear," he said, "we at True Cross Academy provide only the finest for our students."

Rin snorted. "Only if you have a crap load of cash," he muttered, and Yukio promptly hit him over the head.

"I will admit, our gourmet lunch and dinner buffet tickets are a bit much," Mephisto said modestly, "but how else would you expect us to make a profit?"

"I thought this was a school, not a business," I said, eyeing the outrageously overpriced food. I shrugged. "Oh well. Good thing I have plenty of money." I pulled out my credit card and proceeded to buy myself a ticket for lunch.

Filling my plate, I looked over at the shocked faces of my brothers. "What?" I asked, sitting down at a table and digging in. "I'm starving! I didn't eat much this morning."

"You're…rich?" Rin asked, pointing to my pocket, where I had deposited my card. "Yukio and I don't have a freaking penny to our names, and your flipping _rich_?"

"My dad was a CEO for a big company," I explained. "Plus, he didn't like me and Mom spending a lot, so yeah, I'm loaded with money." I tilted my head to the side slightly. "I can get you guys your own credit cards linked to my account, if you want."

"Please!" Rin begged, dropping to his knees. "I…must…have…good…food!" He reached, drooling with his tongue out, for my credit card. I slid away a little and muttered, "You have no shame, do you?"

"You know, I wouldn't mind having a little extra cash to get some extra supplies," Yukio was murmuring to himself. "And bullets are not cheap on an Exorcist's salary…"

I groaned. "I wish I hadn't offered," I said, leaving my plate. "Come on, lunch is on me today."

"All right!" Rin cheered, happily following me to the buffet as I purchased him a ticket. "Go crazy," I told him sarcastically, handing the happy boy his ticket.

I turned to Yukio as we watched Rin tower food onto his plate. "What, does he have a bottomless pit for a stomach?" I asked, handing him his own ticket.

"Sometimes I wonder," my younger brother said, shaking his head. "Thanks for the treat, Nee-san."

"No problem. This is hardly a dent in my old man's savings," I said, returning to my plate and wolfing down my sushi. I looked at Mephisto. "Not eating today, clown?" I asked, stuffing my quail eggs in my mouth.

Mephisto sniffed. "I have my own personal chef, thank you very much," he said. "I hardly need to eat from the same plates as my students."

Shrugging, I said, "Suit yourself, circus freak," and promptly began munching on my ginger.

I yelped when a heaping plate of food plunked itself down in front of me. I leaned to the side to see Rin devouring everything on the plate within his immediate reach. My jaw dropped as he stuffed three rolls of sushi, a handful of Western fries, and half a hamburger in his mouth, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, bun and all.

"Ha…how?" I asked as Yukio sat next to me.

"It is one of the many wonders of Rin," Yukio said dryly, picking at his own food. "Along with his natural stupidity, great cooking skills, and humongous stomach, he can stuff many different foods into his big fat mouth and somehow manage to swallow it all."

"Hey!" Rin said through a mouthful of pork ribs, taiyaki, and noodles, "At least I don't have four eyes, four eyes!"

Yukio rolled his eyes. "Also, he is horrible at comebacks."

Rin growled. "Just shut up and eat," he snapped, turning his attention back to his pile.

I shook my head and asked Mephisto, "Are they always like this?"

Mephisto chuckled and said, "Only when it concerns food, studying, or Exorcist work." He paused, then said, "So, yeah, pretty much all the time."

I sighed and massaged my aching head. "This is going to be a long school year."

Rin snorted. "You don't know the half of it. Just wait until you see who one of our teachers is!" He shot a glare at Yukio. I looked at my little brother, somewhat astonished. He shrugged. "Guilty as charged," he said, looking down at his food.

"So, I'm going to have to be taught how to be an Exorcist by my younger brother?" I asked, somewhat astonished.

"Yep," Rin said, glowering at Yukio.

"That's so freaking cool!"

"That's what I—wait, what?" Rin asked, confused.

"Wow, Yukio, you're only a freshman but you're teaching classes and everything?" I gushed. "That's amazing!"

Yukio turned a light shade of pink and said, "It's nothing. I've been training since I was seven." He nervously pushed his glasses up higher onto his nose.

"Wow! I mean, just…wow! Since you were _seven_? You must've really worked hard!"

"Well…maybe just a little."

"Hey!" Rin snapped. "Quit fanning his ego, sis. He seriously doesn't need it."

"Oh, and you do?" I shot back.

Rin turned sheepish. "Well, maybe just a little…" I reached around his now smaller mountain of food and smacked him.

"OW!" he yelped. "Why, you…"

"Ok!" Mephisto said, standing up and clapping his hands. "Lunch is over! Let's go before the crowd hits!"

Grudgingly, we left our food and followed him back outside into a garden like area. "Here we are!" Mephisto said, spreading his arms out and grinning madly. "This is a door to the cram school for Exorcists! Just insert this key, my dear," he said, pulling out a key and handing it to me, "and unlock the door to start you first day! I'll leave you to the mercy of your brothers. Ciao!" He disappeared in a puff of pink smoke, making us cough.

"This is how you get into the cram school?" I asked doubtfully, looking from the key to the door. "Is he just playing me or what?"

"He's actually being serious," Yukio said, walking up to the door. "Have a little faith in Mephisto. He is being gracious enough to let us all attend the Academy on a full scholarship."

I snorted. "Like I needed his money to get into this place. Oh well, here goes nothing." I put my key in and turned it. I pulled on the handle and, viola, it opened. "Ok, I'll give him a little bit of faith, I guess." Rin smirked.

"Come on, little sis," he said, strolling through the open doorway, "we've got school to go to." He confidently strode up to a door and looked back at us. "Well?" he asked impatiently. "Come on!"

"Is he always this excited about school?" I asked Yukio, who shook his head. "No, I think it's just that there's someone new to the place other than him and Shiemi now, so he feels superior," he explained. "Come on, you're technically already late."

We hurried after Rin, who opened the door for us and followed us in. Inside, the classroom looked kinda…well, dingy. There were crappy desks with crappy seats and crappy bookshelves with crappy-looking books. True Cross was not living up to my expectations anymore.

I followed Yukio to the head of the class while Rin took his seat next to a blond girl with green eyes. As Yukio introduced me, I looked at the other students. There were two girls, one with brown hair and one with black, sitting at a desk a few seats behind Rin. In one corner there was a boy with a hand puppet sitting next to…I was pretty sure it was a boy in a black hoodie with the hood up and over his face, so I couldn't see it. Then, towards the back on the right, there was a group of three boys. On was bald-ish, with a little bit of fuzz on top and some funky-looking glasses; another had bright pink hair; ok, to be fair, it was more of a dusty rose; and between them was a dower-looking boy with black hair that had a streak of blond running through it. I have to admit, he looked kinda cute, even with his angry face.

"…So I hope that you will all be nice to our newest student," Yukio was wrapping up. "Now, please take your seat, Safaia."

"Sure," I said, and sat down at the table next to Rin's.

"Psst, hey Safaia, check this out!" Rin whispered. I looked over at him and he nudged the girl next to him. "Hey, Shiemi," he whispered. Shiemi looked at him and Rin moved his tail to make it look like he was having a heart attack or something. He yelled like he was, too. Shiemi shrieked and fainted, making every head turn in our direction. I sighed and rubbed my temples as Yukio revived the girl and scolded Rin. "This is going to be a long year," I muttered.

Later that day, after school was out, I wandered around outside, trying to find myself a nice study spot. After searching for nearly a half hour, I found a secluded little place next to a brook. There were trees on both sides of the bank, and the water ran clear. There were a few patches of blueberry bushes just a little ways downstream, and there were flowers interlaced among the grass. I smiled to myself and said, "Perfect!" I cuddled up to a nice tall oak and pulled my books out of my bag to begin studying.

An hour and a headache from reading fine print later, I yawned and stretched. "Jeez, I didn't know I missed so much," I muttered. "I think I deserve a short nap to get rid of this God awful headache." I set my books to the side and slid down so I was lying with my head against the tree's roots. "Wow, the sky sure is pretty from this angle," I murmured, my eyelids getting heavier. They had just closed when a crashing sound made them snap open. I yelped and jumped to my feet, ready to take on whatever came my way.

To say I was surprised to see the kid with the blond streak from earlier was a bit of an understatement. He fell, face-first, into a blueberry bush. He yelped and scrambled to his feet, jumping away from the offending plant. "Stupid roots," he growled, glaring at the bush. When he turned and saw me, he snarled. "What are you doing here, new girl?" he snapped, pointing at me. "This is my place, so get your ass out of it."

"You're place?" I snarled, bringing up my fists. "Who gave you the deed?"

"I did," he growled, sauntering up to me. "And you can just get your ass out of where you ain't wanted. There's the door." He pointed back to the way he came.

"Show yourself out, asshole," I said. "I was here first, so piss off before I kick you out, literally." I had to watch it. My tails were moving like mad under my baggy shirt and I could feel my flames banging against the wall I had put up in my mind to keep them sealed in.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged. "I'd like to see you try." He held up his fists and crouched into a defensive pose.

"You asked—" I stopped and whirled around. All thoughts of my flames and tails forgotten, I scanned for the new threat. I shifted uncomfortably. The burning in my skin made me feel like I was being slowly roasted from the inside.

"What's wrong?" the boy taunted. "Too scared to fight all of a sudden?"

"Shut up! There's a demon around here somewhere," I snapped, still scanning. The burning was getting more and more unbearable, and when I glanced down at my hands, they were turning pink. "It's powerful." My prehensile tail was straining from being tied to my furry one. I think it was trying to show me which way the demon was.

"What?" the boy scoffed. "How can you be so sure?" He looked around. "I don't see anything, and it's broad daylight. What powerful demon would attack someone in broad daylight?"

"You'd be surprised," I growled. "And I just know, ok? The demon…" I turned and turned until I was facing the way my tail was straining "…is coming from this way." I pointed. "Know anything we can do to get rid of it?"

"Yeah, I know a few verses I can do, but I doubt they'll be enough," he said. "_If_ this demon is actually real."

"It is," I said gravely. "Just be ready with those verses, alright?"

"Fine," he snapped, and snatched a Bible out from his bag. He flipped through it until he found the page he was looking for. "What are you going to do?" he asked, looking up at me.

"I'm going to distract it," I said, breaking a branch off of a tree and wielding it like a mace. "You chant, I'll distract, and with any luck we can at least drive it off."

"You're insane!" the boy cried. "You think you can actually hold off a demon with a freaking _stick_?"

"It's either that or let it eat you while you read from that book," I said, nodding to the Bible. "Got any better ideas?"

He growled and looked back at the book. "No," he snapped. "Just don't get hurt, ok? I don't want to have to explain to the teachers how you got mauled by a demon while we were arguing by a brook."

I grinned at him. "Ok, but you have to—" The burning in my skin suddenly increased dramatically. "Here it comes!" I yelped, facing the way my tail was straining toward.

The demon that burst from the bushes was an ugly sight. It looked like a dog with its rotting flesh patched together with thick string. There were body parts sticking out from its head and stomach, and parts of its spine broke through the flesh of its back. It's horridly forked tongue lolled out of the side of its mouth. It stank to high freaking heaven, too. It smelled worse than my dad had after eating eggs.

"It's a ghoul!" the boy yelled.

"Do you know anything about how to stop it or make it go away at least?" I asked, shooting him a look of slight desperation.

"I know its Fatal Verse, but I have the wrong chapter!" he cried, flipping pages for all he was worth.

"Hurry up and find it! I'll hold it off!" I turned back to the ghoul. "Here, Fido," I called to it, holding my nose and brandishing my makeshift club. "Here, boy. Yeah, that's right, right here." I patted my leg and whistled like I would to call a normal dog. "The fight's over here, you walking dumpster."

The ghoul snarled and charged me. It could move surprisingly fast for as patch worked as it looked. I jumped out of the way and I ran past me. I smacked it on the back with my branch as it ran by and it howled in pain. It turned back to me, snarling.

"Yeah, come on! Let's see what you've got!" I taunted, crooking two fingers at it.

It snarled and charged me again. This time I held my ground and raised my club like a bat. "Swing, batter, batter, swing!" I cried, and knocked the ghoul across its head. It yelped and went rolling to the left. It staggered to its feet, shook its head to clear its dizziness, and growled at me.

"I found the Verse!" the boy cried as the ghoul looked me over.

"Hurry up and start chanting!" I yelled back. "I don't know how long I can keep this up!"

I turned back to see the ghoul charging at me. It had taken advantage of my momentary distraction and had charged. I had just enough time to bring my club up before I jumped on my and knocked me back. It snarled and tried to bite me, but I used the club and blocked it off, pressing my weapon against its neck. It growled low in its throat and we struggled, me trying to push it away with the club, it trying to get close enough to bite me.

I felt my flames trying to break through. "No, not now," I groaned, using up all my willpower to keep them safely sealed while keeping the demon away from my face. It proved to be too much, and a small part of the flames burst from my hands, igniting the wood of the club and sending the ghoul yelping backward, its face burned and parts of it dropping off.

I shot a quick look at my partner to see if he had seen what I'd just done, but he was too busy reading from the Scripture to have time to pay attention to anything else. Luckily all that remained of my fire was the burn marks on my club, so he'd hopefully never suspect anything. I looked back at the ghoul; it was circling me warily, unsure of whether or not it should attack me again. I held up my club and said, "Come and get it, fart bag."

That did it. The ghoul jumped at me. I raised my club high above my head and brought it down upon the demon, trying to crack its skull. I wasn't able to do what I'd wanted, but I'd managed to pin it. Pressing down with all my might, I jumped on the ghoul's back and held the club down to keep it from using its head. "Hurry up with that Verse!" I screamed, my grip weakening the more and more the ghoul thrashed underneath me.

"…blessed be the Lord!" the boy cried. "Demon, perish where you stand!" he threw out a hand and pointed it at the demon, which gave a mournful howl and a human-like scream as it dissolved into dust.

As soon as the demon was gone, I dropped the branch and fell forward on my hands and knees. Panting, I licked my parched lips and began rebuilding the wall in my mind. The small bits of blue fire that were raging slowly but surely returned to their rightful place behind the wall and I gasped, sealing away my power inside me.

"You ok?" a voice asked. I looked up to see the boy, one hand holding the Bible, the other held out to me. I took it and pulled myself up, saying, "Yeah, I think so. That was harder than I thought it would be. What about you? Are you alright?"

He snorted. "Sure, you're the one who was doing all the fighting. I just read from a book."

I grinned wryly. "Then that was some damn good reading," I said, and we laughed nervously.

"You can study here, if you want," the boy said sheepishly. "It's not really mine." He looked away, turning pink.

I smiled. "I know." I extended my hand and he stared at it, a little shocked. "I'm Safaia Tott—I mean Okumura. Safaia Okumura. It's nice to officially meet you."

He blinked and took my hand. "Ryuji Suguro," he said. "It's nice to meet you too."

I grinned, then looked at my watch and groaned. "Oh no!" I cried.

"What?" Ryuji asked, anxious. "Is it another demon?" He reopened the Bible.

"No, we're late for supper! Come on, I'll treat you!" I gathered up my bags and took off through the bushes.

"Hey, wait up!" Ryuji called, scrambling after me. "Are we seriously late?"

"Its six thirty now! It's been going on for a half hour already!"

"Oh shit! Run!"

We took off running across the lawn, getting some strange looks from the other students. We made it just in time to squeeze in at the end of the line for the gourmet buffet.


	4. Chapter 4

The next week flew by. When I wasn't taking notes and doing tests in class, I was in my little study area, usually with Ryuji. Sometimes he'd be there first, sometimes I would. We never spoke to each other, just glanced up briefly and nodded as the other showed up. We'd sit against opposite trees so we could watch each other while we worked. Sometimes, when I'd put my head up and look around, Ryuji would pull out his Bible and give me a questioning look. If there wasn't a demon, I'd shake my head and go back to studying and he'd do the same. Once, there seemed to be a really powerful demon, and we'd gotten ready, me with my new club and he with his Bible, but the threat passed and we never had any more demon troubles in our study area.

While in class, I learned that Rin slept through most of them. Once, the teacher woke him, and he screamed, "SUKIYAKI!" I giggled while the rest of the class pretty much glared at him and the teacher scolded him.

I heard Ryuji mutter, "What the hell is he even doing here?"

Rin and I looked back at him. "Get lost!" he whispered loudly at Rin. "He looks like he was crazy from the day he was born…" Rin seemed star-struck by Ryuji's appearance.

"He's so cool!" Rin whispered to himself.

I gave my brother a questioning look. "What?" I asked. "He just told you to get lost and called you crazy! How is he cool?"

"Before this I would've stared back and started a fight after class," he explained in a whisper. "But I'm not going to cause that kind of trouble anymore." He looked like he was trying to be superior. He was kinda failing at it. "I decided that I'm going to be an Exorcist." He giggled at his imagination, no doubt thinking of himself as the top Exorcist with his sword.

"Okumura!" the teacher snapped.

Rin and I both jumped. "Yes, sir!" we said at the same time.

"Please refrain from triplet discussions," the teacher said. "And return to your lessons. Or do I have to separate you two?"

"No sir," I mumbled, looking back at my book. Rin just buried his nose in his book to keep his face from turning red.

The next few classes didn't go so well either. Rin was caught sleeping in each. In Demonology, the teacher woke him with an easy question, and Rin said he'd never seen any. Disgusted, the teacher had answered for him and given him detention. The teacher in Grimoire Studies didn't even bother waking him, much to Ryuji's anger. I saw him tensing in the back, like he was ready to kick Rin's ass. Honestly, I would've been on his side for this one. Rin seriously needed to pay attention.

Then, in Yukio's class, Anti-Demon Pharmacology, we were handed back our test scores. "Shima!" Yukio called. The pink-haired boy who sat next to Ryuji went up. "Review the parts you made mistakes at," Yukio said, handing him the paper.

I looked over at Shiemi. "Why are you beaming like that?" Rin asked.

Shiemi faced him and said, "I have confidence!"

"Oh yeah, you're shop is a pharmacy," Rin said, thoughtfully cocking his head to the side.

"Yeah, for Exorcists only!" Shiemi said, smiling happily. "So this is kind of my specialty."

Yukio called her name and she went up to the front. "What is sancho?" Yukio asked, looking at her paper.

"Um, you peel it and put it on burn wounds…" Shiemi said, turning pink.

"Aloe, then," Yukio said. "And 'homairi?'"

"It's a yellow medicine against suppuration," she said, squirming.

"Ah, turmeric." Yukio smiled kindly at her and handed her her test. "I don't mind if you give the plants new names, but please use the official nomenclature for the test."

Shiemi sat down again and I peeked at her score. "A 41?" I gasped.

Rin snickered. "And this is your specialty?"

I glared at my brother. "You'll be lucky to get a five," I snapped. "I saw some of the answers you put on your test, and let me tell you, they were really far off."

"Oh yeah? Wanna bet?" Rin challenged.

"Rin!" Yukio said, handing him his test. I looked at the score.

"A _two_?" I shrieked, laughing. "Wow, Rin! I was wrong! You did even worse than I predicted!"

"This was gut-wrenching," Yukio said, glaring at Rin.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"Safaia," my younger brother said, handing me my test. "Not bad for only being here for a week."

I dared a peek at my score. "Ha! Take that, Rin!" I said proudly, showing him my 90.

"What?" Rin yelped.

"Suguro!" Yukio called. Ryuji came up front and took his test. As he passed Rin, he muttered, "Two points? I couldn't do that badly if I wanted to."

"Huh?" Rin asked, looking at him.

"It's because you're always showing off to those chicks," Ryuji accused. "It makes me sick."

"Hey!" I snapped. "He's my brother, dirt bag. And don't forget who saved your ass the other day."

Ryuji shot me a look that could've killed me. "Don't you _ever_ mention that again," he growled.

I stuck out my tongue while he grabbed his test. "What's with this punk?" Rin asked angrily. "He's the one showing off!"

"You did well, Suguro," Yukio congratulated. Ryuji smirked and showed Rin and me his test.

"What?" Rin yelped.

"98?" I howled.

"That's impossible!" Rin snapped, crumpling his test while he balled his hands into fists. "How can a guy like you get 98 points?"

"What?" Ryuji snapped, turning to Rin and crumpling his own test with his fists. "I go to school to do my best and take the Exorcist exam!" Yukio nodded, refereeing the verbal fight. "Everybody here is serious about becoming an Exorcist! An eyesore who comes here only to slack off should just get lost already!"

"Who put you on that high horse so you could tell me off like that, punk?" Rin snarled. "I want to become an Exorcist too!"

"What? All you ever do is sleep in class!"

Ryuji's two friends and I leaped up. "Bon, calm down!" the one with glasses cried, running up and trying to get in between to two hotheads.

"We're in class, Bon!" the other said, grabbing Ryuji.

"Rin, stop it!" I said, grabbing my brother's arm and trying to tug him away. Yukio came up and grabbed Rin's other arm and helped me pull him away from Ryuji.

"I haven't seen you pay attention even once!" he cried, pointing at Rin as his friends struggled to pull him back.

"I'm more the practical type!" Rin snapped back, glaring at Ryuji. "I'm not good at sitting at a desk and cramming!"

"It's just as Suguro says," Yukio said. "You should listen."

Rin glared at Yukio and broke free of our grip. "Yukio! Just whose side are you on?"

"I wonder…" Yukio said, folding his hands behind his back.

"Look, both of you need to chill!" I snapped, looking from Rin to Ryuji. "Quit it, alright?"

The bell rang, signaling the end of class and the start of lunch. "Ah, class is over. This is it for today!" Yukio said, dismissing us. We gathered our stuff and filed out for lunch.

Later, after we'd eaten, Rin, Yukio, Shiemi and I were hanging out on a fountain. Yukio and Shiemi were on the bottom ring while Rin and I were on the top ring. "What's with that guy?" Rin asked. "Is he smart?"

"Ryuji Suguro?" Yukio asked. "He's a genius. He's here on the same scholarship that I was. He's the heir of a famous temple in Kyoto."

"Huh. Interesting," I said, looking up from my manga.

"So, a spoiled kid with a good background?" Rin said, swinging his feet angrily.

"He's not that bad," I said, glaring at Rin.

"Oh? And how would you know?" he demanded.

"I…" I bit my lip. Ryuji told me not to say anything about what had happened the other day. I wasn't going to spill if he didn't want me to. "I'm good at judging people?" Rin snorted but didn't say anything more.

"He has great grades, he's athletic, and he's always serious about his classes," Yukio said.

"Are you sure you're not describing yourself?" I muttered, turning my attention back to my manga.

"To say the least, brother, he's working harder than you," Yukio said, giving Rin a grin. "You could take lessons from him." I giggled at the thought of me, Rin, and Ryuji sitting in our study area with Ryuji helping Rin. They'd probably end up fighting and I'd have to pull them apart, and that would seriously cut into my study time.

"Lessons? Is he that good?" Rin muttered.

"By the way, Shiemi, Safaia, are you two used to cram school yet?" Yukio asked, looking from me to the blond.

I shrugged. "More or less," I said. "It's not so different from normal school."

"Um…not yet," Shiemi said, turning pink. I learned that she had a habit of that.

"You seem so active now that you're like a different person," Yukio told her, giving her a smile. He had told me about her shop and the problem with the demon that had rendered her legs useless for a while. He'd said they'd known each other for a long time, and I wondered if there was something more going on. "Don't worry, just do your best."

"Thanks, Yuki-chan," Shiemi said, relaxing a little.

"I have to go to my next class, so…" Yukio jumped off the fountain. "Be careful not to be late for your P.E. class."

"What are you, our mother?" I asked. "See you, Yukio."

"See you later!" Shiemi called. Rin said nothing, just nodded.

We sat in silence for a few moments, mostly because I'd absorbed myself into my manga to keep an awkward conversation from starting. Rin and Shiemi didn't seem to have much to say either.

"Um…which class were you in?" Rin finally asked Shiemi, shattering the silence.

"Hm?" Shiemi looked up, a question in her eyes. "I don't mean cram school, I mean high school," Rin blustered. I rolled my eyes.

Shiemi shook her head. "I only entered the cram school," she said, looking down at her feet. Her face was turning pink again.

"Then what about high school?" I asked. "Were you nervous about it or something and just didn't go?"

"No," Shiemi said. "I'm very shy in front of strangers, so I haven't really gone to middle school either."

"Well, me neither," Rin said. He nervously rubbed his neck. "I couldn't get used to it, somehow, and nobody really liked me."

"Hard to imagine why," I said dryly, earning myself a smack of his wrapped up sword.

"Rin?" Shiemi asked. "Is it strange that I'm in cram school?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I'm not that determined to become an Exorcist…" Shiemi said softly, like she was ashamed. "Nor am I smart like Suguro…"

"It's certainly good to be smart," Rin said. "But I think it's better that there are all kinds of people in the world."

"Yeah," I said, setting down my manga. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase, 'opposites attract?' If everybody went around being smart or pretty or whatever, the world would be a really boring place and everybody would be the same. No opposites, see?"

Shiemi looked up. "Rin, Safaia! Do you have friends?"

"What?" I asked, sitting up. Shiemi turned around and stood so her face was level with our chests. She grabbed one of my hands and one of Rin's.

"Um…Rin, Safaia…will you…" she stuttered. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rin's face turning red.

"Ah, flirting in broad daylight?" a familiar voice asked.

I whirled around to see Ryuji and his little gang walking up. Shiemi dropped our hands.

"Who're you talking about?" Rin yelled spinning and pointing at Ryuji.

"Is that your chick?" Ryuji asked innocently, nodding to Shiemi. "You're taking it easy, bringing your woman to the leading school of Exorcists."

"I told you it's not like that!" Rin exclaimed.

"Then what? Is she your friend?" the boy asked in a slightly taunting way.

"She's…not…my friend," Rin admitted somewhat shamefully. I saw Shiemi's face turn sad and I got angry.

"Shut up, Ryuji!" I snarled, hurling a rock I'd found in the fountain at him. It hit him square on the forehead and I smirked. "Just because you're smartest in the class doesn't mean you get all us girls! And that doesn't give you the right to be an ass to my brother, either!"

Ryuji snarled and caught the rock as it bounced off his forehead. He glared at me, and then looked between Shiemi and Rin. He smirked. "Oh, I see…"

"What about you?" Rin demanded, holding up a fist. "You have your followers with you all the time!" Ryuji looked a little shocked that Rin would go so low, but hey, he had it coming for teasing Rin like that. "Your little circle-jerk is disgusting!"

Ryuji gasped, his face registering more shock. The pink haired kid in his little "circle-jerk" snorted and turned away. "Why are you laughing, Renzo?" Ryuji demanded.

Renzo snorted through his laughter, "He does have a point."

"What, are you agreeing with him?"

Ryuji turned back to Rin and the two glared at each other; you could practically smell the testosterone in the air and see the electricity sparking from the tension.

Renzo cocked his head to the side. "Aren't they similar in a way?" he asked.

"You could say that again," I muttered. It was like the legend about the tiger versus the dragon. Neither won because they were so much alike.

"They're so similar they can't take it…" the bald friend of Ryuji's said. Suddenly the bell rang and we all hurried off to class, Rin, Shiemi, and I heading to the lockers to change, Ryuji and his group heading to the "gym" since they were already in their uniforms.

The first ones up to run from the Leaper that the teacher had set up were Ryuji and Rin. I winced when he called their names. "Bad choice," I muttered, and Ryuji's friends had nodded.

"I'll bet you one hundred yin they'll end up fighting," Renzo told me.

"Deal, but I'll only pay if Rin starts it first. And let's make it two thousand yin."

"You're on. If Bon starts it, you owe me two thousand yin, and if Rin starts it, I owe you two thousand yin." We shook on it and the bald boy shook his head. "You guys have no faith in them, do you?"

We ignored him and looked down in the ring. Rin and Ryuji were being chased by a Leaper, and the teacher was screaming at them. "This isn't just a foot race!" he yelled. "The point is to adjust your body to the movements of the demon! Watch the movements of the Leaper!"

"Bon's not slow either," Renzo said, watching Rin take the lead. "That guy's good."

"Just be ready to cough up your money, Pinky," I said.

"You're slow, punk!" I heard Rin taunt between pants as he ran. "Even if you're Mr. Smart in the class, you're no good at the real thing!"

"What?" we heard Ryuji snarl. "In real combat, the last one standing wins!" They rounded a corner, and Ryuji jumped as Rin passed him again, going to kick him in the back. He hit my brother squarely, sending Rin down on his face and sliding a good ten feet. Grudgingly, I handed Renzo a two thousand yin bill from my wallet. "Take your damn money," I growled.

Meanwhile, Rin and Ryuji had stopped, but the Leaper was still right behind them. "Now you're not that—" Ryuji started to taunt, but he suddenly remembered the humongous frog behind him, and whirled on his knees, yelping as the Leaper reared back, ready to smash him.

At the last moment, the teacher yanked on a leaver and sent the toad back to its cage. "What are you two doing?" he screamed. "Do you want to die?"

Panting, they ignored him and didn't answer. "I won't lose to you even if it costs me my life," Rin stated between pants.

"I won't lose to you if it costs me my life!" Ryuji shot back.

"Then would you like to die right now?" Rin yelled, turning to Ryuji, who whirled and cried, "The give it a try, you moron!" Rin tackled Ryuji and they began to fight.

"Guys!" I yelped, following Renzo and the other boy whose name I still hadn't learned down into the arena to pull the idiots apart.

"Hey, hey!" the teacher yelled. "You are in class!"

I peeled Rin off of Ryuji while Renzo and the other boy held onto him.

"What do you think you are doing?" the teacher snapped.

"Sorry, sorry!" Renzo, the bald boy, and I all apologized as we struggled with the quarrelling boys. I smacked Rin on the back of his head. "I thought I told you to quit it!"

He growled and stopped fighting me. "Fine," he snapped, and yanked his arms from my grasp. Ryuji's friends let him go and the teacher told him to follow so they could talk. As he passed by, he shot Rin a glare but didn't say anything. Rin just stared back.

"What's wrong with him?" Rin asked.

Renzo chuckled a little nervously. "Forgive him. You know, he's always too serious; he's not flexible at all. He has his goal; that's why he's here."

"Goal?" Rin asked.

"Ryuji has a goal?" I said, confused. I just thought his parents were making him come here and he was working hard to please them or something.

"He wants to be an Exorcist and defeat Satan," Renzo explained. He laughed. "It's silly, isn't it?"

"Is it?" Rin asked. I gave him a quizzical look. I knew he wanted to defeat Satan; I was a little surprised that he was accepting that someone else wanted to, too.

Renzo stopped laughing and looked at Rin. "Yeah, he's working hard to rebuild our temple that was destroyed in the Blue Night," the bald boy said.

I blinked. "The Blue Night?" I asked. "What's that?"

"You don't know?" Renzo said, surprised.

"I don't either," Rin said.

Renzo and his friend looked back and forth between us. "That's rare," Renzo said.

"The Blue Night took place sixteen years ago," the bald one said, "when Satan simultaneously slaughtered many of the world's prominent clergymen."

"Slaughtered them?" Rin asked, looking serious.

"Our high priest told us," the bald one continued, "that sixteen years ago, that night, every stronger Exorcist suddenly started bleeding all over their body and died in blue flames."

"Those blue flames are the sign of Satan," Renzo explained. "Our high priest was still just an apprentice back then, and he prayed all night, quivering in a corner. After that he became our high priest, but because so many priests suddenly died mysteriously the number of both our supporters and visitors to the temple declined and people started calling it the Cursed Temple."

"Renzo and I are also apprentices at Bon's temple," the bald one said. "We decided to rebuild it by becoming Exorcists."

"Bon just can't slack off, he's so serious," Renzo said. "So, just let this pass."

"The child of the Cursed Temple?" I said softly, looking back at Ryuji. I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He'd probably seen just as much prejudice and fear from others as I had when he was a kid.

The teacher quit talking to Ryuji and called down for Shiemi and another girl, Izumo, to come down for their turn. I followed Renzo, Rin, and the bald kid up the ladder on the side of the arena, Ryuji just behind me. When my foot slipped, he caught it and pushed it back up. "Sorry," I said, giving him an apologetic look.

"Don't mention it," he murmured. "Just climb."

I did as he said and watched as Shiemi and Izumo started their practice. Shiemi tripped (again) and the teacher reigned in the Leaper. "Just how many times do you plan to fall?" he yelled.

"I'm sorry!" Shiemi called.

"And why aren't you wearing a jersey like everyone else?" he scolded.

"These are the only clothes that are fit for sports that I have," she called, looking down and tugging at her traditional style clothing.

"Which age do you think you live in?" the teacher snapped. "Next, Shima and Yamada!"

Renzo and the kid in the hoodie slid down as Shiemi and Izumo climbed out of the arena. I frowned as Izumo asked if she could go first and Shiemi let her. "That girl needs to stick up for herself," I said softly, so no one would hear.

Suddenly a phone went off, playing an annoying ringtone. "Who's that?" Ryuji asked, just as annoyed as I was. "We're in the middle of class!"

I looked across to the teacher as he said, "Yes, it's me," into his phone. My jaw dropped. Didn't the cell phone rule count for teachers as well as students? Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ryuji fall in surprise.

"What is it honey?" the teacher asked. "What? Right now? You're such a reckless kitty." He hung up.

"Listen!" he called to us. "Practice by yourselves for now!" Everyone jumped. "The Leapers are generally docile demons, but they have the ability to attack you by reading your minds! You will not go down into the race court until I get back, and under no circumstances should you go within their reach! Get it? Understood?" He turned and took off, screaming, "I'm coming, my kitty!"

"He was saying 'my kitty,' right?" Renzo asked as an anime sweat drop formed on my head.

"Practice by ourselves in P.E.? Seriously?" Izumo asked.

"Can he do this?" her friend, Paku, asked.

"Come on, and they call that a teacher?" Ryuji scoffed. "I thought True Cross Academy would be a sacred place of studying for determined people!"

"You're telling me," I said dryly.

He ignored me and looked over his shoulder at Rin. "And the students are no better either!"

"What?" Rin said. "You're starting to get on my nerves."

I snorted. "Starting? So what do you call all that fighting you did before, being friendly?"

Rin ignored me too and continued as Renzo sighed, "What do you know about my determination?"

Ryuji turned to look at him. "It's clear from the way you act in class!"

"Here we go again," Renzo said, flopping down next to me. "I give up."

"Ditto," I said, putting my hands behind my head to watch the scene unfold in comfort.

"Bon, be more mature!" Renzo said in a half-hearted attempt to head off the argument.

"Stop, please!" the bald boy said.

"Stop your nagging! Shut up!" Ryuji said, rounding on them. He turned back to Rin. "Since you claim to have the determination, prove it!"

"Prove it?" Rin asked. "How?"

"That." Ryuji pointed to the Leaper. "If you can go down there and touch the demon without it attacking you, you win. The Leapers look their opponents in the eye and read their minds. Fear, anger, grief, suspicion…point is, if you waver while you look it in the eye, it'll be your last mistake." He turned back to Rin again. "If you aim to be a real Exorcist, dealing with such small fry should be no trouble. If you can get back without getting hurt, I'll acknowledge your determination."

Renzo sat up. "Hey, Bon…"

Ryuji ignored him. Seriously, what was with these guys? "Of course I'll do it, too. And win! So? Are you in?"

Rin looked at him for a long moment before smiling and shrugging. "Interesting! Ok, I'm in!" he said. He paused. Then, while he started picking his nose, he said, "Is that what you'd thought I'd say, you blockhead?" He pulled his finger from his nose. "I'm not doing it." I sat up. I thought for sure that Rin would take the challenge. "What if you make a mistake and die? And I have my goal, just like you. I can't risk my life with something stupid like this."

Ryuji looked shocked. He gasped and rounded on Renzo and the bald kid. "Did you tell him?" he yelled. They held up their hands. "No…" they lied.

I rolled my eyes. "They told me too, Ryuji," I said, standing up. He whirled and looked at me. "And what you're proposing to do is downright stupid. Just give it up. Do you really want to die before reaching your goal?"

"Shut up!" he snapped at me. He turned to Rin yet again. "A goal my ass! You're just scared!"

"Say whatever you want," Rin said nonchalantly. I was surprised. As Ryuji got angrier, Rin seemed to get calmer.

Ryuji looked down angrily. "Every single one of them…" he growled to himself. "Why don't you fight?" He looked back up. "Doesn't it bother you?" he cried. Rin just stared at him calmly. "I'll do it! You just stand there and watch!" Ryuji turned and slid down to the Leaper.

"Stop!" Rin yelled as I called, "Ryuji, wait you idiot!"

"Bon!" his little circle-jerk cried at the same time.

"Is he serious?" Paku asked frantically.

"He'll turn back anyway," Izumo said. "So stupid."

Ryuji approached the Leaper, not even hesitating in his step. He stopped a few feet away from it. "I'll become and Exorcist and defeat Satan!" he cried and looked the demon in the eye.

For a tense moment, nothing happened. Suddenly Izumo started laughing. "Defeat Satan?" she scoffed. "What are you saying? You're not a kid anymore!" Paku joined her laughter.

I saw Ryuji's back tense, and suddenly the Leaper roared. "Damn!" Ryuji cried, holding up his hands. "Bon!" Renzo yelled.

"Rin!" I said, and my brother and I jumped from the ledge, me just a few feet behind him. We landed in front of Ryuji, and Rin took the full force of the Leaper's attack, his arm all the way up to his shoulder going into the monster's mouth, along with part of his torso. I pushed Ryuji back and jumped up, placing my hand on the spot right between the Leaper's eyes.

"Let go!" I demanded in sync with Rin. "Let go now!" we howled. I summoned my blue fire so that it was hovering just beneath my skin, ready to burst out. I didn't want to have to use it, but God damn it, I wasn't about to let my brother and Ryuji be killed.

There was a slight hesitation, but the Leaper let go. I slid down off its snout and rubbed it with my hands, muttering, "Good, good boy." I looked it in the eye, my gaze unwavering, and the Leaper was like a docile puppy. A giant, froggy puppy, but a puppy. It licked me with its tongue and croaked. Rin pulled his hand off the frog and turned to Ryuji.

"What are you doing? Are you that stupid?" Rin asked. Ryuji just blinked in amazement. "Are you listening?" Rin asked. "The one who'll defeat Satan is me! You get lost!"

Ryuji looked at him, dumbstruck for a moment, before he jumped up and cried, "You're the stupid one here! Who cares about dying? And how dare you steal my goal like that?"

"I didn't steal it! It's original!" Rin said, throwing up his hands.

"Original my ass! I decided to do it first! Get lost!"

"When did you decide? What year, what month, what day, what hour, what minute, what second? How many times did the Earth turn then?"

"Are you a kid?"

"Look who's talking!"

I looked at the Leaper. It looked at me. I nodded. "Sic 'em," I said, pulling my hand away from its snout.

"Hey guys!" I called, interrupting their butting of heads, "I think you have more important matters to deal with." The Leaper roared and hopped after the boys, who yelped and ran with all their might, while everybody laughed.

Later that day, after school, Ryuji and I came to the study place at the same time. "Hey," I greeted. He nodded.

As I was about to sit down, he said, "Listen, Safaia…" I looked up from my comfortable spot against the oak. His face was turning red and he was rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I, um…about earlier today…"

"Yes?" I asked, feeling that I knew what was coming.

"Well, I just want to say thanks," Ryuji said, turning even brighter red. "For, you know…saving my ass."

"Which time?" I asked dryly.

"Hey, come on, I'm trying to be nice here!" he exclaimed.

I laughed and said, "You don't need to thank me, Ryuji-chan. I saved you today because I'd miss my study partner if I'd let you get eaten by that Leaper."

"You seemed about ready to let it eat me and Rin, earlier when you let it loose on us again," he mumbled, sitting down at the cedar across from me.

I grinned. "That was just to keep you two idiots from butting heads. Now shut up and let's study."

He smiled—actually _smiled_—and pulled out his books. I felt remarkably happy when I studied with him that day.


	5. Chapter 5

Another week flew by. Ryuji and I crammed as much as we could when we studied, flipping between memorizing Fatal Verses, learning and identifying kin of the Demon Kings, and reading about the summoning rituals. It was sometimes uncomfortable for me, as a wayward demon or two would sometimes pass within my detection range, making my skin itch and burn. Whenever I'd shift to a more comfortable position, Ryuji would look up, a little alarmed. I'd shake my head and he'd go back to studying, but I caught him peeking glances at me. Finally, one day, out of irritation, I asked sarcastically, "You see something you like?"

That made him jump. "Uh…" he said dumbly, his face turning pink. "No…?"

I laughed and said, "Relax, Ryuji-chan. I'm only teasing." I had fallen into the habit of calling him Ryuji-chan whenever we were in our study area. When we were in school or there were others around, I called him Bon, like his friends did, but in our place in the forest he was Ryuji-chan. "You don't need to be so—"

Fire straight from the pits of hell reared up and started to consume me from the inside. I couldn't help but let out an earth-rattling scream and push my books off my lap. "Safaia-chan, what's wrong?" I heard Ryuji call to me over my screams of pain. I tore at my clothes, trying to pull them off to help my skin cool. "Fire!" I howled. "I'm on fire!"

"Wha-What do you mean?" Ryuji cried, crouching next to me, helpless to stop the blaze within me. "There's no fire anywhere!" He reached out and his fingers brushed my bare arm. I wailed in pain as the flames tried to burst through my outer shell and consume Ryuji. He jerked his hand back, as if that brief touch had burned him. "What the hell is going on?" he asked, holding his fingers.

"It hurts, Ryuji-chan," I whimpered, tears trickling down my face from the pain. "Make it stop! Make the fire go away!"

He looked me over for a minute, watching in grim fascination and hurt as I writhed in pain, before scooping me up. I shrieked at the contact and thrashed, trying to get out of his arms. He was grimacing too, but he made no sound and held me tightly so I wouldn't fall. "Ryuji-chan! You're making it worse!" I cried, the tears falling faster. "Put me down! Please!"

Without saying a word he dumped me into the brook. I gasped at the coldness of the water, which had always seemed so warm before. I nuzzled myself down to the bottom, letting the coolness evaporate the heat. Slowly, ever so slowly, the burning went away. I sighed underwater in relief.

Suddenly something pulled me out of the brook. "Oh man! Safaia-chan, are you ok?" Ryuji asked me as I coughed up water and gulped air. "Is the fire gone?"

Panting, I said, "Yeah, it's gone." I looked at Ryuji. "Thanks, Ryuji-chan."

"What the hell was that?" he asked, still shaken.

I looked down at the brook and hugged my wet knees to my chest. "Ryuji-chan," I started, "I've never told you about how I sense demons, have I?" It was more of a statement than a question.

Ryuji thought for a minute. "No…" he said slowly. "I'm guessing it has something to do with that fire you were screaming about?"

I gulped and nodded. "Yeah," I said. "I…when a demon is near, I can feel it, like a burning in my skin. If the demon is powerful, the burning is hotter and more painful. If it's a lesser demon, like a coal tar, then it's just like an annoying itch. That's why I squirm sometimes." I shivered. "Gods, I'm cold now."

"Sorry for dumping you into the stream," he said. "It was the only thing I could think of."

"It's ok. I…I didn't burn you, did I?"

"No, but touching your skin was like holding my hand over a flame."

"Sorry."

"It's ok."

We sat in silence by the stream for a long minute. I was worried. What did Ryuji think of me now? Did he think I was some kind of freak? He wouldn't be all that far off.

A breeze blew through the trees right onto us and I shivered harder. Ryuji looked at me and said, "Oh hell, Safaia-chan! You need some dry clothes!"

"I'm fine," I lied, trying to stand up without shaking. "Really. I'll head up to my room and take a hot shower."

"Like hell you will," Ryuji said, picking me up and setting me down against an oak. He took off his school uniform jacket. "Wear this," he said gruffly, handing it to me. "I'll be right back." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" I yelped, wrapping his warm coat around me. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to find your brother Yukio," he said. "I'm gonna tell him you fell into a fountain and you need some dry clothes. I'll ask him to get some out of your room and I'll bring them back for you."

I gulped and resisted my urge to shiver harder. "He's probably in his room in the old boys' dorm," I said. "Look for him there first. If he's not there, check his classroom."

Ryuji nodded and took off through the bushes. "Be careful," I whispered. "That was the most powerful demon I've ever sensed, and I doubt that it's friendly." I shuddered as another breeze blew through and I tugged his jacket closer, inhaling the warm scent he had left on it.

While the jacket was good for covering my arms and keeping the cold air off of them, it did little for my feet. I pulled the jacket on backwards and rubbed my feet to keep the blood flowing. I curled and uncurled them, doing my best to keep some feeling in them. I pulled the collar of the jacket up to my nose to keep my face warm. I decided to take a big risk and pulled my tails out from under my shirt and rubbed them up and down, squeezing the water off of them. The tail with the point was going nuts, whipping around. It even smacked me across my face. Growling, I shoved it under my bottom and sat on it. It wriggled around, trying to get out, but I wiggled my butt, squishing it into the ground, and it got the hint and stopped moving. I swear the thing had a mind of its own. My furry tail was shivering as hard as I was, and I rubbed the fur, doing my best to warm it up. I shuddered hard and wished for Ryuji to hurry up.

I was shaking so hard that it was impossible for me to do anything but sit. I licked my lips and took deep, quivering breaths. I just couldn't get warm! I felt the wall in my mind starting to crumble, and the tiny flames that escaped heated my mind. Craving for the warmth, I did the unthinkable; I took an even bigger risk than taking my tails out: I let down the barrier.

Heat flooded my body, a welcome relief, even after the lava that had flowed through my veins. This heat was pleasant, like soaking in a hot bath. I moaned in pleasure as most of the chill was chased out of my body.

I looked down at myself and gasped when I saw the flames were covering me. I felt my ears; they were long and sharply pointed, as were my teeth. I quickly shut my fire up inside me again, even though I quickly became cold and quickly shoved my tails back under my shirt. I shook my head at my stupidity. I promised myself to never let my flames out again unless I was in a fight that none of my friends could see.

A crashing sound made me look up from my cold misery to see Ryuji coming in through the bushes. "I got your clothes," he panted, throwing them at me. "Put them on, and fast. Dinner's almost over and I'm starving."

I pulled his jacket off and began to unbutton my blouse. "Wait, wait!" he yelped, covering his eyes. "Get behind a bush or something first!"

"I can't," I said. "I can barely move as it is. Go wait behind a tree or something. Or you can just leave, if you want, I don't care."

"I won't leave you by yourself," he said gruffly. "I'll…I'll go wait behind that tree." He sauntered off to an oak and quickly sat on the other side so he wouldn't see me change.

I shook my head and stripped down as quickly as I could, trying to ignore the fact that Ryuji was behind that tree. Pulling on those warm, dry clothes was a blessing, though. They felt good against my damp skin and I hugged myself just to feel them press against me. "Ok, I'm dressed," I called, and Ryuji appeared from behind the tree.

He gave me a once over and said, "Your lips aren't as blue as they were, so that's good, I guess." He noticed his jacket still lying on the ground. He pointed at it. "Put it on."

"I'm not your bitch, so don't order me around," I snapped, picking up my books and bag.

He blushed. "I just don't want you to get colder," he snapped. "Put on my damn jacket."

"No." I threw it at him, smiling with satisfaction as it hit his face.

He yanked it down and said, "Damn it, I'm trying to keep you from getting sick! Put on my jacket!" He held it out and glared at me.

"And I said no!" I turned and stalked off when yet another breeze blew by. I shivered and glared at Ryuji, who was smirking. "Gimme the damn coat," I growled, and snatched it from his hands. I yanked it on and said, "Let's go." I didn't wait for him to follow.

He easily caught up with me since his stride was longer than mine. He slowed himself down once he had reached me and fell into step. "You sure you're ok?" he asked, looking me up and down.

"Careful, Ryuji-chan, you're starting to sound like you care," I giggled and watched him blush again. "I'm fine, I'm sure of it."

"Ok," he said, giving me a doubtful look. We reached the edge of the forest and, instead of breaking off in different directions like we normally did, he followed me. I frowned at him and he explained in a slightly embarrassed way, "I…I'll see you up to your room. I don't want you collapsing or anything on your way up."

"You're missing dinner," I pointed out. He shrugged. "I can live with that," he said.

I sighed and let him follow me. I'd learned that once he was doing something, there was no way you could stop him short of killing him. "I'll get Rin to fix you something in the dorm kitchen, then," I said. "He's an excellent cook and he makes us breakfast and supper now, since I got him his credit card so he can buy ingredients. He even makes us cold lunches to take if we want to."

"No, it's ok," he said. "I can go without dinner."

I snorted. "No. You're eating something, even if it's from our fridge."

"How many times do I have to say 'no?'?"

"As many times as I say yes, plus one. So be ready for a long fight, Ryuji-chan."

He looked at me funny. "What?" I asked.

"You just called me Ryuji-chan."

"So? I do it all the time. What's the big deal?"

"This is the first time you've done it outside of the forest."

I felt my face turn pink. "Shut up and walk." He complied and I led him to my dorm, which was the same dorm as Rin and Yukio's. Since we were triplets and Rin and I were half-demon, the school (or should I say the principal) had bent the rules a little and allowed for me to have the room across from Rin and Yukio's. It was a little awkward for me to walk into a bathroom that had urinals and not get in trouble, but I got used to it.

When we reached the dorm kitchen, I snatched a sweet bun from the platter Rin had set out earlier this morning and handed it to Ryuji. "Eat it," I demanded, and despite his earlier protests, he did. When he took his first bite, his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Your brother Rin made this?" he asked, astonished.

"Yep," I said proudly. "Good thing, too, or the three of us would be dead from only having one meal a day."

Ryuji shook his head. "I don't get that guy," he muttered, and I made no comment.

We stopped in front of my door. Rin and Yukio's door was open, but luckily they weren't there at the moment. "Thanks for seeing me here," I said, looking down and feeling my face grow hot.

"Thanks for the sweet bun," Ryuji said, looking away and out the window. I shifted uncomfortably. I hated awkward moments. I moved to take off his coat and he said, "No, hold onto it. I've got more in my room in my dorm; you can keep it until tomorrow."

I nodded and, on impulse, gave him a hug. He was too shocked by it to hug me back, and I moved away too fast for him to react anyway. "See you, Ryuji-chan," I said, and quietly slipped into my room, ready to take a hot bath and force myself to forget my stupid move.


	6. Chapter 6

I woke early the next morning and stretched, yawning loudly. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked out the window across from my bed. The sun was just barely up over the horizon. "Jeez, what time is it?" I mumbled, looking at my alarm clock. It glared 5:26 in red numbers at me. "God damn it." I rolled out from under my covers and debated on whether or not I should shower, since I'd had a hot bath the night before. My body odor made me decide to have a bath and pamper myself this morning. Grabbing my dandruff shampoo, lavender-scented bubble bath, and relaxing body wash, I headed to the dorm showers.

The water was nice and hot, just how I liked it. I used one of the three bathtubs and filled it with my bubble bath, making the water smell nice. I sunk to my nose in the foamy stuff and inhaled deeply. I loved the smell of lavender, plain and simple. If I could, I'd grow lavender in my dorm room.  
>Actually, I probably could, if I twisted Mephisto's arm once or twice…and paid for everything myself.<p>

Reaching up to massage the shampoo into my scalp, I accidentally knocked my iPod Touch, which had, up until that moment, been playing "Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls, into my bath. "God damn it!" I fished it out from its bubbly doom and shook the water off of it in an effort to make it play. The screen fizzled and nothing happened. "God damn it." I'd have to buy a new one.

I soaked up the moisturizers in the different soaps for another twenty minutes before rinsing off and wrapping my hair and body in towels. I wasn't worried about Rin or Yukio seeing me; Rin always slept late, and Yukio didn't get up until an hour before school, which started at 7:30. I still had a little over an hour and a half to do whatever the hell I wanted.

I started with finishing drying myself off and getting dressed in the school uniform, which consisted of a short skirt and a white blouse and an optional yellow sweater that had a pink line around the collar.

Once I was dressed, I sat down in front of my dresser with the big mirror and began applying different oils to my skin. I scrubbed my face with a moisturizer that was supposed to keep acne away, and so far it was working. Next I rubbed skin lotion onto my arms and legs. Last but not least, makeup. Usually, I didn't wear more than mascara, but today I decided to add a light coating of blush and a little eye shadow to the mix. Turning one cheek, then the other, to the mirror, I dabbed the blush on and faced the mirror head on, satisfied with the results. I dabbed some pretty light blue eye shadow onto my lids, which ironically was the same color as my flames, but in makeup form. Then I added a little bit of mascara to my eyelashes.

I sat back and looked at my handiwork. I nodded appreciatively. "Not bad for a girl who doesn't really wear makeup," I giggled. "I wonder if Ryuji will notice?"

I glanced up at my reflection, shocked that I had said that. Where had it come from? I shook my head. It was as random and stupid as the hug I'd given him last night. What the hell was wrong with me?

Sighing, I stared at my reflection and propped my head against my hand, smearing my blush. "God damn it." My phrase of the day.

I fixed my blush and checked the time. 6:17 was what my clock told me. "God freaking damn it." I pushed away from my dresser and sat down on my bed. I picked up my manga and began to read about Tohru and Kyo.

I was halfway through the part where Tohru is talking to Momiji about his mother when someone knocked on my door. "Wake up, Safaia, it's 6:50. Time to get ready for school." The door cracked open a peek and Yukio poked his head in. "Oh, you're already awake. Good, come on. Rin's making breakfast. He said something about pancakes with blueberry syrup?"

I dropped my manga and jumped out of bed. "Be right there! Just have to get my books." Yukio nodded and shut my door. I quickly gathered up my textbooks and shoved them into my school bag. I was about to leave when I remembered Ryuji's jacket. I grabbed it from my desk chair, where I had set it last night, and was about to shove it in my bag when I thought different. I set my bag down and shrugged on the jacket. It was a little big and loose but I liked the feel. I took a quick whiff of the sleeve, just to see if it still smelled like him. It did.

Shaking my head to get rid of stupid thoughts, I snatched up my bag and headed out to the dorm kitchen and dining room. "Morning, Rin," I said, setting my bag down next to one of the tables. "Yukio said you were making pancakes with blueberry syrup."

"Yep!" my triplet brother said happily, giving me a smile. "They're almost done. Could you get out—"

"The butter, plates, and syrup, I know," I said, smiling. "I remember." I went to the fridge and pulled out what he needed and slid them down to him. He stopped them from going onto the stove with one hand and flipped a pancake with the other. I shook my head. I had to say, while a complete idiot in the classroom, Rin was in his element when he was in a kitchen.

"By the way, Safaia, where'd you get that boys' uniform coat?" Rin asked, looking up from the pancakes. I blushed and busied myself with getting out the plates and silverware. "I—I borrowed it from someone," I stammered.

"From Bon?" Rin asked innocently.

I looked at him sharply. "How'd you know?"

"Yukio told me about Bon letting him know about your fall in the fountain," Rin said, flipping the pancakes again. "How come you still have his coat?"

"I—I forgot to give it back to him last night," I said, looking down to cover my red face. "He let me wear it so I wouldn't get cold and I forgot to give it to him when I left."

"Oh, ok. Are you going to give it back to him?"

"Yeah. I just felt like wearing it this morning, because I'm kinda cold still."

"Ok. Here, your pancakes are done."

"Thanks."

As I sat down at the table next to my bag, I let out a sigh of relief. I'd totally forgotten about my "fall in the fountain." Thank God Rin had inadvertently reminded me about it. Now I just had to remember it if Yukio questioned me.

Speaking of which, the youngest triplet was making his way through the kitchen, dressed up in his teaching uniform with his bag for class over his shoulder. "I don't have time for pancakes, Nii-san," he told Rin as he grabbed a sweet bun from the platter. I shuddered as I remembered doing the same thing and handing it to Ryuji last night. "I've got to go; there's a teacher's meeting and I'm already late. I'll see you later."

"Ok, bye, Yukio," Rin said, cleaning up the kitchen and getting his own pancakes.

"See you, Yukio," I said, shoveling the food into my mouth. They were just as good as the first time Rin had cooked them for me.

"I see you still like my pancakes," Rin said with a confident air as he sat down across from me.

"Can't talk," I muttered between mouthfuls. "Food…too good…to pass up."

Rin smirked and dug into his own pancakes. When we finished, he grabbed his bag and Kurikara and said, "Ready?"

I wiped my mouth and set my plate next to his on the kitchen counter. "Ready." I snatched up my bag and followed him through the door to cram school that he'd opened with his key.

The first person we came across while walking through the halls was Shiemi. She was sprawled out on the floor, her shoes off and some of her books falling out of her bag. It looked like she'd tripped.

"Shiemi?" Rin asked as we came up to her. She jumped and looked back at us. "What are you doing there?"

"Are you ok? Did you fall?" I asked.

She quickly stood up. "Uh…nothing at all! I'm fine! I just tripped is all!" She slipped her shoes back on and snatched up her bag. She took off down the hall to the classroom. Rin and I shared a look and shrugged, hurrying after her. Class started in ten minutes, and we didn't want to be late.

We walked into the classroom and I immediately spotted Ryuji. He was sitting near the back, with Renzo and Konekomaru (the bald kid-I'd gotten Ryuji to tell me his name) at the desk behind him. I set my bags down and, feeling my face turn pink, shrugged off his coat and walked over to him. I held it out to him and he looked up from his work. "Thanks," I said simply, and he took the jacket. Renzo and Konekomaru were giving us funny looks. "No problem," Ryuji said gruffly. He shoved the jacket into his bag and went back to his work.

My face even more pink than before, I hurried back to my desk and sat down as Yukio came in. He straightened a few things on his desk, then looked back up at us. "Now, we only have six weeks until the summer break," he began. "Before that, you will all have your Exwire authorization exams."

"A squire?" Rin said. He looked at me. "What's that?"

"It's Exwire, idiot!" I snapped in a hushed whisper. I smacked him over the head, nearly knocking the hair clip he was borrowing from Ryuji off his head. "And I thought you said you were studying?"

"It's the name for Exorcist candidates," Shiemi told him.

"If you become Exwires, you'll have more practical training," Yukio continued, making me perk up. Studying was nice and all, but I loved hands-on experience. "So the exam isn't going to be easy. Therefore, we'll be going on a week-long training camp next week."

"Training camp?" Rin asked.

Yukio handed us some papers. "The training camp isn't compulsory," he explained. "So please mark down your attendance and what field you want to advance in as your Meister on this form. You have until Monday to hand it in."

"Meister? Field?" Rin asked. He looked at me again. "Um…do you know…?"

"No," I said. "This is one of the things I haven't heard of." I looked over at Ryuji and his gang. I stood up and Rin followed me over.

Rin held up his paper to Ryuji. "Hey, what's a 'Meister'?"

"Huh?" Ryuji asked, raising an eyebrow. He looked at me. I gave him a bewildered shrug. "I don't know either," I explained.

"Tell me…please," Rin said, and my jaw almost dropped. Rin was not one to ask nicely.

"You want to become an Exorcist and you don't even know that?" Ryuji snapped. "You're taking this too far!"

"Aw, come on, Bon," I said. "Please?" Ryuji glared at me and I gave him a big smile.

Renzo laughed. "Rin, you really don't know anything…"

"There are people like that, too," Rin protested.

"Meister is a necessary qualification for Exorcists," Konekomaru broke in. We looked down at him. Seriously, we had to look down. That guy was freaking short. Even I towered over him, let alone Ryuji and Rin. "It's a title given to those who are skilled enough. Knight, Dragoon, Tamer, Aria, and Doctor are the five classes. If you get a title in at least one field, you become an Exorcist."

"I see…I think I get it," Rin said, sitting down next to Konekomaru and looking at his paper.

"Oh! That makes perfect sense," I said, looking at my own paper.

"Who said you could sit down?" Ryuji demanded.

"Liven up, Bon," I said, sitting next to him since there was no more room on the other side.

"Who said _you_ could sit down?" he snapped at me. "And don't call me Bon!"

"Would you rather I call you Ryuji-chan?"

"SHUT UP!"

"The fighting style of each Meister is very different," Konekomaru continued, desperately trying to keep a fight from starting.

"I see! Thanks, Konekomaru," Rin said, smiling.

"Yeah, thanks, Koneko-san," I said. I gave him a smile too and he blushed a little. "What are you taking?"

"Shima and I are aiming for Aria," the boy said.

"Aria?" Rin asked, confused again.

"Arias fight by reciting from the Bible and other holy scriptures," he explained.

"Bon is overdoing it again," Renzo cut in, his lazy smile still on his face. "He's taking both Aria and Dragoon."

"Wow, that's amazing, Bon!" Rin said.

"Yeah!" I smiled at him. "That's so cool, Ryuji-chan!"

"Don't call me Bon! Or Ryuji-chan!" Ryuji snapped, slamming his fists on the table.

"By the way," Konekomaru said, holding up a finger, "Mr. Okumura is a Meister in both Doctor and Dragoon, too."

"He's amazing…" I sighed, stars in my eyes.

"Hey!" Rin snapped, waving a hand in front of my face. He frowned. "What should I take? To begin with, what's a Dragoon?"

Ryuji slammed his fists down again. "You're so annoying!" he snapped, and I couldn't help but giggle at his childlike tantrum. "Dragoon Meisters fight with guns. Knights fight with swords."

Renzo laughed again. "Oh, look how Bon's acting all tough, but explains it to him anyway."

"SHUT UP RENZO!"

"Did you just say sword?" Rin asked.

"Yeah," Konekomaru said. "The Meisters who fight with swords are called Knights."

Rin grinned. "Then I'm taking Knight!"

"Speaking of which, you always have a sword with you," Konekomaru said.

"It's like a keepsake of my dad," Rin explained.

I had to turn away and snort into my hand to keep myself from laughing. A keepsake of his dad? Yeah, right. It was the sword that controlled the flames of Satan within the two of us. Some keepsake. Then again, Rin said that Father Fujimoto, the old priest who had raised him and Yukio, had given to him the night that he'd died. So, double meaning. Not bad. He was sticking to the truth without telling the other truth. I didn't know Rin was capable of that.

"Uh, Safaia-chan, are you ok?" Renzo asked.

"Fine," I said, controlling my laughter. "I just…thought of something funny. Anyway, I'm not sure what I should do for my Meister field."

"You could be a Knight," Rin suggested.

I snorted. "What and we share this sword?" I asked, grabbing the end of the Kurikara. "No thanks. If I'm gonna be a Knight, I want my own sword." I thought for a minute. "Wait, can Knights have daggers instead of swords?" I asked.

"Not that I've heard of," Konekomaru said. "But there used to be one Meister field called a Rogue. They handled specially blessed knives and got into really close combat with demons, so they often ended up dying, even when fighting a middle class demon. Not a whole lot of people applied for that Meister because of the high fatality rate, so it's pretty much discontinued. I'm not even sure you can apply for that field anymore."

"I don't care, I'll talk to Mephisto if I have too; I'm going to be a Rogue." I filled out the paper and folded it, putting it in my pocket. "Now, I just need some knives…"

"I'm sure that can be arranged," Yukio said, sneaking up on us. I yelped and whirled around. "I'm sure you can talk Mephisto into letting you get some daggers of your own," my little brother said, smiling. "As long as you paid for them, of course."

"Of course," I muttered, frowning. "Another couple million yin, out the window. Stupid Mephisto."

The bell rang and we all headed for our next class, which was Demonology. Today we were going to see if any of us could summon a demon.

We all watched as the teacher, Igor Neuhaus, a man with shaggy brown hair and an eye patch drew a demonic summoning circle. "Now I will summon a demon," he said, setting his giant compass aside. Rin, enthralled by the intricate design, started to step forward, but was cut off by the teacher. "Don't step on the drawing!" he scolded. "If the magic circle is broken, it loses its effect." He looked back down at the circle. "You need blood and the appropriate chant to summon a demon," he explained, unwrapping a cloth from around his wrist. He squeezed his hand and let a few drops of his blood plop onto the circle. "Son of Typhoeus and Echidna, heed my call!"

A breeze picked up in the room and fog began to emit from the circle, swirling with the wind. The ground where the circle was drawn began to bubble, like it was water coming to a boil. Something began to emerge from where the ground was bubbling, and it a minute the ground split apart to reveal a demon in the shape of a ghoul. Against my will, my eyes flicked to Ryuji, and I saw he was looking at me, too. We held our gazes for a moment, then broke eye contact, shuddering. This ghoul looked a lot like the one that had attacked us before, but not quite. It was about double the size of the one we'd seen, and looked more like a Doberman Pincher than the mangy mutt we'd fought.

"So is this a Naberius?" Konekomaru asked.

"This is the first time I've seen one," Ryuji whispered in awe.

"There are very few people who can summon demons and use them as familiars," the teacher was saying. "A strong will in necessary to tame a demon. This can't be learned; you need to have talent. Now we will test if you have that talent."

"Test?" Rin asked, slightly panicked.

Mr. Neuhaus reached inside his jacket and pulled out a paper like the one he'd given us earlier. "Put a drop of your blood on the paper with the magic circle I gave you earlier and say the words that come to your mind," he instructed.

I watched Izumo be the first to try. She pricked her index finger with a needle. "I humbly call upon the Gods of Harvest," she said quietly, smearing her blood across two of her papers. "Follow my wishes!" she cried, brandishing the papers. "Leave none unfulfilled!" Two white demon foxes, one with red ribbons around its neck and one with purple and red, materialized from the papers and obediently sat down next to her, looking at us with pricked up ears.

"Wow, what's that?" Rin cried. "Amazing!"

"Two spirit foxes at once. Well done, Izumo Kamiki," Mr. Neuhaus congratulated somewhat unenthusiastically.

"Amazing, Izumo!" Paku said. "I can't do it."

"It's just natural," Izumo gloated. "I'm the descendant of a shrine maiden!"

Not about to be outdone, I said, "All right, my turn." Using my right canine to cut my thumb, I smeared the blood across one of my papers and chanted, "I call upon the offspring of the Greek Underworld guardian Cerberus." I held up my paper and cried, "Hellhound, I am your mistress! Obey my every whim!"

A giant dog, twice the size of the Naberius the teacher had summoned, materialized from my paper and gave a house-shaking _WOOF!_ The dog was like a black Cocker Spaniel, only much, much larger. Everything, from the point of its nose to the tip of its tail, even its claws, was like polished ebony. The most striking feature, though, at least I thought, was its eyes. Instead of normal eyes, they were tiny blue flames, exactly like the blue flames that made up my horns when I let my fire come out from behind its wall. Strangely enough, it looked a lot like the puppy I'd once found as a kid.

"Well done, Safaia Okumura," the teacher said, looking over my hellhound. "See if you can make him shrink down to a more manageable size, though."

I nodded and said, "Get smaller!" I held up my hand to my waist. "About this big."

The hellhound gave a loud "WOOF!" and quickly shrank down to the size I'd commanded him to. He trotted over to me and plunked him butt down next to my foot, nuzzling his head under my hand for a pet.

"He seems kinda attached to you," Mr. Neuhaus observed as I stroked my demon. "Have you summoned demons before?"

I shook my head. "This is my first time," I said. The hellhound began to lick my fingers.

"Hmm." He nodded.

I looked over and Ryuji's gang. "I can't do it," Ryuji grunted, staring at his paper in frustration.

"Nor can I," Konekomaru said. The both looked at Renzo, who was frowning slightly at his paper. He shrugged and started grinning again. I rolled my eyes. He was such a happy-go-lucky he actually made me feel nauseous.

Shiemi, with stars in her eyes, cried, "I'll try too!" She dabbed a bit of her blood onto the paper and mumbled something like, "Come, come…just kidding." She stared at her paper, her face growing sad as nothing happened.

All of the sudden, a little green sprite with a leaf hat and tiny orange flowers for eyes popped out of her paper, crying, "Ni!" It slowly floated down and landed on Shiemi's hand, who was smiling again. "Ni!" the little sprite said again, waving at her.

"It looks like a Greenman spirit," Mr. Neuhaus said, observing the cute little thing. "Splendid, Shiemi Moriyama."

"He-Hello," Shiemi said somewhat nervously. With a small "Ni!" the Greenman jumped onto Shiemi's shoulder and latched onto a lock of her hair. Shiemi giggled and looked at Izumo. "Hey, look Izumo! I summoned one too!" she cried.

"Wow, so amazing!" Izumo said in a slightly sarcastic way. I frowned. I didn't like the way she was talking to Shiemi. "It's as tiny as a bean and cute!"

"Amazing? Cute? Thanks!" Shiemi said, not knowing that she was being mocked. I glared at Izumo. My hellhound must have felt my anger because it growled threateningly at her. I shushed it, not wanting a fight to start.

"Looks like we have plenty of Tamer candidates this year," Mr. Neuhaus said. "Tamers who can fight using summoned demons are rare and highly valued among Exorcists. Demons never obey someone weaker than themselves. On the contrary, they attack those who have lost their confidence."

I looked down at my hellhound, who was panting happily. "We're good, right?" I asked him. He let out a small whine and licked my hand. I smiled. "I thought so." I patted his head and he wagged his tail.

"As I told you earlier," Mr. Neuhaus continued, "if the magic circle is broken, the bond will break and the summons will disappear. So if you feel yourself in danger, just tear the paper." He scraped his foot across the chalk on the floor and the Naberius he'd summoned vanished. The bell rang. "Today's class is over." He turned and left for lunch.

I looked down at my hellhound. "I'd rather not dismiss you…" I said hesitantly. "Is it all right if I call you Koinu?" The dog woofed happily and I took that as a yes. I smiled. "Ok, but you've got to get smaller." Koinu complied and shrank down to puppy size. "Better. Come on, it's lunchtime." I looked up. "Hey, where'd Shiemi go?"

"She just left," Rin said, coming up to me and crouching down to pet Koinu. "She took off after Izumo and Paku." Koinu snarled at Rin and he jerked his hand back.

"Easy, Koinu," I said, absently reaching down and patting my demon. "He's on our side, so be nice." Koinu warily sniffed Rin's hand and allowed my brother to run his hand down his back once.

"Koinu? You named that thing?" Ryuji scoffed, looking down distastefully at Koinu.

"Koinu is not a thing, Bon," I snapped as my hellhound growled low in his throat at Ryuji. "He's my familiar. You're just jealous because you couldn't summon anything and I got a hellhound."

He snorted. "Whatever. Come on, let's go." He turned, not waiting for us to catch up.

Rolling my eyes, I left the room with Rin and Koinu right on my heels. I looked around for Shiemi, spotting her following Izumo and Paku, carrying Izumo's bag. I frowned. "Something is not right with that girl," I muttered, heading off to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Huh? What's that?" Rin said, making everybody turn and look. "Looks like Shiemi became the follower of Miss Eyebrows."

"Miss Eyebrows?" Konekomaru asked.

"His nickname for Izumo," I explained. Renzo laughed.

"They're just playing," Ryuji said. "Let's go get lunch."

Frowning, I followed the boys to the cafeteria.

As the day progressed into the next one, Izumo asked Shiemi to do a lot of simple things for her, things she could've done herself. I didn't like it. She was totally turning Shiemi into her slave, and the poor girl didn't even realize it.

"Shiemi's totally turning into her servant," Rin muttered.

"I know," I said. "I don't like it one bit."

Yukio was with us. "What?" he asked, oblivious to what was going on.

"Never mind," I said, shaking my head.

"By the way," Rin said, looking up at Yukio, "why is the training camp in our dorm?"

"Because it's no problem if we get a bit loud because we're the only ones living here," Yukio explained. "It's just practical."

I sighed and leaned back, staring up at the clouds. "I hope we don't have to wait much longer," I complained. "I'm bored." Koinu nuzzled my cheek with his cold wet nose. All the cram school students were supposed to report to our dorm this morning. We'd been waiting for only ten minutes, but it'd seemed like an hour to me.

"You don't have to wait any longer," Yukio said, pointing. I sat up.

"Good morning!" Renzo called as the entire group approached us. Everybody gaped at our dorm building. "What is this?" Ryuji asked. "It looks like a haunted hotel!"

I giggled nervously and said, "Oh yeah, I guess you didn't get a good look at it the other night when you brought me back here, huh?"

"I don't like it," Izumo said. "It feels creepy. Couldn't we go somewhere nicer?" What a little royal bitch.

She suddenly remembered she was holding her own bag and thrust it at Shiemi. "Take this." Shiemi happily complied. I growled and shook my head.

About nine hours and a lot of people bitching later, Yukio told us to stop taking the test and put down our pens. "Turn your paper over and pass it here!" he demanded from the end of the table.

"Finally, it's over," Renzo sighed, handing his paper to Yukio and leaning back in relief.

"It was so long," Paku said, rubbing her hand.

"I'm going outside to enjoy the night wind a bit," Rin said, standing up and stretching. He was practically smoking.

"Go cool down," Ryuji grunted, grabbing his paper and passing it to Yukio for him.

"Tomorrow we're waking up at six," Yukio announced. "We'll have a short test covered by this test.

Rin groaned and muttered, "He's a demon, seriously."

"Is Mephisto sure that Rin and I are the only ones that are half demon between the three of us?" I murmured darkly to myself so no one could hear.

Izumo stood up. "Paku, let's go take a bath," she suggested.

Shiemi jumped. "I'm going too!" she said.

"I hope the bath is big…" Paku said as the filed out of the room.

"I don't care, I just want to get there quickly," Izumo said, leading the way.

"Izumo, you really like taking a bath, don't you?"

"Of course I do. I'm a girl."

"Heh heh, girl's bath time…" Renzo smiled to himself. "I have the feeling we'll have to go and take a little peek…"

I saw the sly look on Renzo's face. "Don't even think about it, you bastard," I snapped.

"Renzo, you're a monk!" Ryuji protested.

"Those bad habits again…" Konekomaru sighed.

"Look who's talking!" Renzo said. "Admit that you're just as interested."

"Try not to forget that there's a teacher here," Yukio cut in. They all turned and looked at him. I did my best to smother my laughter into my hand.

"Teacher or whatever, you're a freshman, too," Renzo said. "You don't have to act." He thumped Yukio on the back, making his glasses fall slightly off his face.

I rolled my eyes. "You seriously don't know Yukio, then," I said. "I haven't seen him so much as look at a girl, much less plan on what you want to do."

Yukio pushed his glasses back up. "I prefer not to embark on reckless adventures," he stated. Renzo's jaw dropped a little, like he couldn't believe my brother had just said that.

Renzo turned to me. He cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Well, I guess we could always convince Safaia to strip for us…"

"NO!" we all yelled at him. He laughed. "Only kidding!" He paused, then looked at me with a sly grin. "Partly."

I glowered and threw Rin's sitting pillow at him, hitting him squarely in the face.

I leaned back and sighed. "Koinu!" I cried, summoning my hellhound. He appeared next to me, normal-dog size, and licked my face. "WOOF!" he said happily, and he rolled over so I could rub his belly. "So, what are we going to do, guys?"

"'We'?" Ryuji asked. "Whoever said you were allowed to hang with us?"

I looked at him and deadpanned, "Sic 'em, Koinu." Koinu snarled at Ryuji, who yelped and backed up against the wall. "Keep that thing away from me!" he howled. I laughed and called off my hellhound. "Relax, I'm only teasing, Bon," I said, sitting back up and leaning against my demon. I crossed my arms and put them across his back. He wagged his tail but otherwise didn't move. I sighed. "I am so freaking bored."

Suddenly we heard a shrill shriek coming from the direction of the girls' bathroom. It was faint, but I could definitely hear it. So could Renzo, apparently. He jumped up and, pointing in the direction of the scream, snapped, "How dare they get it on without my being there to watch!" He took off down the hall, me, Yukio, Ryuji, and Konekomaru right on his heels, trying to get him to realize that they were in danger, not that they were having sex.

"Safaia!" Yukio told me. "You and Koinu go on ahead! You're faster than all of us! If Rin isn't there, you'll have to hold whatever it is off of them if they can't defend themselves!"

"Right! Let's go, Koinu!" I cried, and poured on the speed. I left the boys in the dust, Koinu easily keeping pace with me, while I wondered how I hadn't been able to sense the demon.

I slid (literally slid—my shoes had horrible traction on the tile flooring) into the bathroom to see Rin fighting a huge ghoul, Shiemi tending to Paku, who was lying unconscious with some nasty looking burns on her arms, and Izumo in her underwear crouched behind Shiemi. I watched as the ghoul threw Rin across the giant shower.

"Rin!" Shiemi called fearfully.

"Don't come here!" he yelled.

"Koinu, attack!" I shouted, pointing at the two-headed ghoul. Koinu howled with rage and grew to the size equal to that of the ghoul and charged. The ghoul had enough time to turn around and meet Koinu's attack head on before being snatched up in those powerful jaws. Dodging around the fighting demons, I hurried over to my brother. "Rin! Are you ok?" I asked, crouching down next to him.

"Yeah," he said, rubbing his neck. He looked at me. "It…the ghoul called me young master and told me to forgive it," he said. "He said it was under orders of a certain person."

I looked at the warring demons. The ghoul was tearing at Koinu's mouth, trying to get free. Koinu shook his head vigorously, knocking the ghoul against the wall. "I don't care if it was sent by freaking God," I snapped. "It attacked us and our classmates; that's enough of a reason for me to take this bastard down."

Rin nodded. "Right," he said. "Let's go!" We charged, Rin swinging his still-sealed sword, me brandishing a part of the broken shower frame.

Just as we reached my familiar and the ghoul, the damn demon broke free of Koinu's mighty grip. Growling low, it knocked Koinu aside, making my poor familiar hit its head against the wall and get knocked out, and jumped on me and Rin, pinning us each with a hand.

"Forgive me, Prince and Princess," it moaned in a low voice. "I am under orders that I cannot deny…" I struggled underneath its powerful grip. _I…can't get…free_, I thought. _God damn it…if only Rin or I could draw the sword and unleash the flames…_I reached for the sword, but it was too far out of my reach.

"Nii-san! Nee-san!" I heard Yukio call. I heard gunshots, and the ghoul groaned and jumped off us, blood trickling down its back. You're not getting away!" More gunshots as it leapt over the walls and disappeared.

Panting, Yukio asked, "Are you ok?"

Groaning, I sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine." I looked over at Koinu. "Oh no!" I hurried over to my familiar, who whimpered and sat up. I noticed a big lump on his head. "Poor boy," I said softly, rubbing his muzzle and letting him nuzzle me. "You were a good boy, yes you were," I said, hugging him. "Good boy, Koinu." The hellhound whimpered again and licked me before going back down to the size of a normal dog.

"You're late!" Rin snapped at Yukio.

"But not too late," Yukio pointed out. He turned and looked back at where Shiemi, Paku, Ryuji, Renzo, and Konekomaru were. "Shiemi! How is Paku?"

"Yuki-chan! I…" Shiemi started.

"Your treatment was right," Yukio interrupted. "Who knows what would've happened without you…"

Paku groaned, waking up. "Paku!" Shiemi cried.

"Shiemi…thanks for saving me," Paku said. Shiemi smiled and nodded.

Yukio pulled me aside as Ryuji and his group came over. "What happened here?" he demanded.

"I only got here once the demon threw Rin," I said. I described the battle to them and told them what Rin and the ghoul had said. Yukio's face turned even more serious, if that was possible. "I'm not sure, but I think that was a Naberius," he said. "I'll have to talk to…" He walked off, deep in thought.

As we watched him go, Renzo asked, "Are you sure you're ok, Safaia?"

"Yeah," I said, rubbing my neck. "Would you guys like a piece of advice?" They nodded. "Never let a ghoul pin you by your neck. It hurts like hell and you can't breathe." Renzo and Konekomaru rolled their eyes and Ryuji snapped, "That's common sense, stupid! Why'd you even let it get that close?"

"I'm trying for a Rogue, remember? I have to get some practice, and what better way than to fight a demon head on?"

"Rogues are supposed to have knives! Are you telling me you charged in there with your fists and half a brain?"

"Don't forget my familiar."

"I give up!" Ryuji threw up his hands and stormed out while the rest of us laughed and followed him. This was going to be an interesting week, to say the least.


	7. Chapter 7

I squirmed under Mephisto's scary and slightly-stalkerish gaze. "What's this about?" I demanded, wanting to get out of his office as soon as possible. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, no, my dear!" Mephisto cried. "You're not in trouble at all! I just called you up here to talk to you about your chosen career as an Exorcist."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "So this isn't about putting the itching powder in the boys' locker room?"

Mephisto chuckled. "Heavens, no! That was the best show I've ever witnessed! All those boys hopping around, trying ever so hard not to scratch themselves…" He seemed to kind of wander off in his mind, dreaming about the guys after I'd put itching powder literally everywhere in the boys' gym locker room. That had been rich, watching them resisting the urge to scratch and failing when we'd had to run from the Leapers again…Shaking myself, I said, "Look, can I go now? I've got a class right now, you know."

Mephisto shook himself and said, "Hold on. I called you up here to talk about your career choice." He pulled my paper out from a cabinet in his desk and looked it over. "I see you've put 'Rogue' as you choice for your Meister. You are aware that there hasn't been a Rogue in at least two hundred years, correct?"

I gulped and nodded. "Yes, sir," I said, squirming some more. My skin was burning a little and itching some more, but I wasn't sure why. Could it have been Mephisto? I still didn't think he was human. "I still want to be a Rogue, though."

"Hmm," the principal said. "I see. And you're sure you'd rather not try for a different field? Mr. Neuhaus tells me you got a knack for summoning demons. Why not be a Tamer?"

"Well, you see," I said, tugging at my collar. The burning was freaking seriously annoying me. "I want Rogue as my first Meister and Tamer as my second. I'd rather not just send my demons into a fight without being by their side. I can't pass up a good fight. I…I feel like I need to protect my friends and brothers, and how can I do that when I'm just sending in demons to do my dirty work? It just doesn't sit right with me. I want to get in there and do damage myself, like Rin does."

"Rogues had a high fatality rate, you know," Mephisto pointed out. "You'd probably die."

I gave him a steady look. "You and I both know just who I am, so cut the crap, Mephisto. You know I'd live through my battles, demon by my side or no."

"And you're sure you wouldn't rather just be a Tamer?" Mephisto cocked an eyebrow at me.

"Yes, sir."

"Well then!" Mephisto clapped his hands. "Good idea! Let's get down to business, then." My jaw dropped as he lifted a computer from his lap and opened it. "Now, first of all, we need to get you a pair of knives…"

"Wait, wait!" I cried, leaping across the desk and slamming the computer shut. "You're just going to go along with this? I thought you were going to try to talk me out of it!"

"Silly girl!" Mephisto laughed, shaking his head. "Of course I won't! I just wanted to know your motives for being a Rogue to see if you'd actually stick with it. Now, get off my laptop so we can choose a set of knives for you. You'll buy them yourself, of course…"

"Of course," I grumbled. "I have an account of eBay, if you want to start searching there…"

"No, no! Don't you know anything? Rogues used reinforced silver daggers that had demons concealed in them, one from each type! Fire, water, earth, air, and rot! You can't find anything like that of good quality on eBay! Of course, we'll be infusing your flames into them, much like how we did with Rin's sword, so we'll start with the knives that don't have demons in them. Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of those types out on the market…" Mephisto turned the laptop screen to me so I could look over the knives. "There, there are four different sets. Take your pick, and we'll order them."

"There's a website called Be An Exorcist Dot Com?" I asked, studying the website. "And I thought that Exorcists were like a hidden society!"

"Oh, we are," Mephisto assured me. "But even we need a market for items we use. This website is blocked from anyone outside this academy or computers used within the True Cross Order. Now, please pick the daggers you want. We haven't got all day."

A certain pair caught my eye. They were bluish silver, with sapphires in the hilt and an intricately designed cross-guard. The blades were each eight inches long and the hilt was about three and a half, not including the studs at the end. The hilt was wrapped in wire instead of leather for better grip. They came with their own silver sheaths that you could strap to your belt. I checked the price.

"¥24,000?" I yelped. "That's way too much!"

"I never said they were cheap, did I?" Mephisto said, looking at my choice. "Ah, and these are relatively cheap for such a fine pair." Cheap? I didn't want to know how much a pair with demons infused in them cost, then. "I will order them for you, since I'm the one who has an account on this website, and you will reimburse me, along with the shipping and handling costs." He looked up at my blue face and said, "Scurry along, now. You have a class to go to." I gathered up my things and slammed the door on my way out, fuming that he'd made me spend so much on a pair of freaking daggers.

* * *

><p>"Sorry I'm late!" I cried, bursting into my next class that I'd already missed half of. "I had to go to the principal's office…um…" I felt my face turn red as everybody looked at me. "Zat iz alvright, Mademoiselle Okumura," the teacher, who was part French, said. "You 'ave not mizzed much. Pleaze, take your zeat and Mousier Suguro will continue vith 'is recitation. Mousier Suguro, from zee top again, pleaze."<p>

"Yes," Suguro said as I sat down and looked back at him. He took a deep breath and began, "Every day we thank Thee. And we praise Thy name forever, yea, forever and ever. O Lord, deign to keep us from sin this day. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, for we have hoped in Thee. O Lord, in Thee I have hoped; let me never be put to shame."

"Zat was le perfect!" the teacher cried as everybody started clapping. I was impressed. I knew he was good at memorizing, but this…this was just…mind-blowing.

"Amazing!" Shiemi told him once the bell rang. "I was so surprised!"

"That was absolutely fantastic, Bon!" I cried.

"Be careful not to fall for me now," he said, smirking at us. He gave me a wink. I was a little taken aback, but I recovered quickly; I'd been hit on by guys before and knew how to completely knock them off their high horse. "So do you want your reward kiss now or later?" I teased.

He gave me a startled look, then, smirking again and thinking he was calling a bluff, said, "Now would be good, if you're not too scared." He leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head.

"Alright," I said standing up. He looked a little surprised as I made the short walk from my desk to his, but he stayed where he was and didn't protest. I leaned down, hands on my hips, so I was in his face, forcing him to lock eyes with me. His lips parted a little, like he was anticipating for one on the lips, and I grinned. I gave him my own smirk and leaned closer in, giving him a quick kiss on the nose. He jumped in surprise and stared at me as I leaned back and said, "There you go, Ryuji-chan. If you're good, maybe you'll get a little…_more_." Winking, I went to gather up my bags, making sure my ass was sticking up in the air, facing him, before I straightened and walked out the door, doing my sexiest walk. "Later, Ryuji-chan," I said, my voice like silk.

I shut the door softly and waited on the other side to hear what the others would say. I could hear Renzo, Rin, and even Konekomaru laughing hysterically. "Damn, Bon," Renzo puffed between his laughs, "why didn't you smack that? I'd tap that, for sure! She even offered!"

"Jeez, Bon," Konekomaru, of all people, giggled, "you've been rendered completely helpless!"

"Yeah, was it that good?" Rin snickered. "I didn't know nose-kisses could be so enticing!"

"SHUT UP, ALL OF YOU!" Ryuji screamed, finally remembering himself.

"I don't see why you're all making a big fuss," I heard Izumo, the resident queen bitch, say. "It was just a kiss on the nose, and for his memorization. Memorization isn't that great a skill."

"Huh? Did you say something?" Ryuji asked.

"Bon…" Konekomaru said, trying to head off the storm that was brewing.

Ryuji gave a small laugh. "I don't want to hear that from someone who can't even remember four lines!" he mocked. I opened the door a crack to see what was going on.

Izumo jumped up. "It's not that I can't!" she protested weakly. "I just chose not to remember!" I rolled my eyes and quietly reentered the room. "Arias are totally defenseless while chanting, so they need to be protected by their team!" Izumo was continuing. "They're just luggage!"

"What?" Ryuji snapped, leaping up and walking to the front of the room as Izumo made her way in front of Rin and Shiemi's desk. "We're aiming for Aria, you know!"

"Bon…" Renzo and Konekomaru said.

"_So_ scary," Izumo said sarcastically. She placed a hand on her hip. "If you want to hit me, go on!"

"I really can't stand you. Don't laugh at other peoples' dreams!" he snarled. He slammed his hand down on the desk, making Rin finally look up from his book.

"Ah, that you'll defeat Satan?" she mocked. "Are you telling me not to laugh at such a joke?"

I ground my teeth together. Looking at Ryuji, I could tell she'd struck a nerve. "All right, both of you cool it!" I snapped, stepping between them and holding out my arms. "You," I snapped, glaring at Ryuji, "need to seriously quit picking a fight with everyone who looks at you the wrong way." He took a step back, a bit of shock on his face. "And you," I said, rounding on Izumo, "need to quit acting like a royal bitch who thinks she can rule the world. You're both getting on my nerves, so just fucking stop it before I kick both your asses!"

Izumo snarled and said, "Well, you need to stay out of other people's business!" She grabbed me by my shoulders and shoved me back onto the desk I'd been sitting at. I hit my head against the sharp edge and I felt a small bit of blood well up underneath my raven hair. Momentarily dazed, my vision swam as Ryuji demanded, "What about you? Why do you want to be an Exorcist?"

"I…" she hesitated. "I've never told anyone why I want to be an Exorcist, unlike show-offs like you."

My vision cleared just as Ryuji snapped, "You little bitch!" and grabbed Izumo by her collar.

"Ryuji, no!" I cried, diving forward and hitting his knees. He stumbled as Izumo tried to smack him. Instead, she hit Rin across the face, who was standing up, about to break up the fight.

"Ouch," Rin muttered, and then he glared at the two warring students. "If you want to fight, do it somewhere else!" he yelled.

"That's enough!" a familiar voice called. We all turned to see Yukio enter the room. He gave us a mischievous smile, which was way more frightening than if he would've frowned at us. Eyebrows twitching, he asked, "How about you behave yourselves?" He gathered us all up and led us to a room that had a bunch of stones sitting along one wall. He made us all sit and put a rock in each of our laps.

"What's with this stone?" Rin asked, his face turning blue. "It's getting heavier!"

"It's a low level demon," Konekomaru strained.

"Yeah, they're called Bariyons," I mumbled, trying to shift into a more comfortable position. "The longer you hold them, the heavier they get. They used to be used for punishment back in the Middle Ages. Condemned criminals would lie on their backs and have one placed on their chests, slowly suffocating them until they died. Now, apparently, they're used for school torture programs."

"This sucks!" Rin cried.

"You don't even know about Ghost Stones? Pathetic," Ryuji criticized Rin.

"Shut up!" Rin snapped. "It's because you had to pick a fight…!"

"It's called collective responsibility," Yukio interrupted. "There's another purpose to this camp besides studying, and that's strengthening your bonds with each other."

"Yeah, because that's going _so_ well," I said sarcastically.

"I don't want to have bonds with these people," Izumo said in her prissy way, giving me a pointed look. I leaned past Ryuji and Rin and snarled at her, earning a smack from Yukio.

"You have to get along with each other!" Yukio snapped. "An Exorcist cannot fight alone!" He looked us over as we all stayed silent. We knew he was right. "Support each other's abilities and cover weaknesses," Yukio continued in a calmer voice. "Everyone fights in teams of at least two. In battles, a quarrel in the team can lead to death! Think about that." He pulled back his sleeve and checked the time. "Now, I'll be gone for three hours on a mission. Due to the incident with the ghoul yesterday, I'll lock every entrance to the dormitory and put up strong barriers around it."

"Lock the entrances?" Ryuji asked. "Then how can we get out?"

"There's no need for you to go out," Yukio said dismissively. "In the three hours I'll be gone, you will all get on well and cool your heads." He turned to leave.

"Wait!" I yelped. "What if we have to go to the bathroom?"

He gave me a steady look so I'd know he wasn't joking. "You'll just have to hold it for three hours." He left and locked the door.

"Three hours…" Renzo moaned. "He's the demon here!"

"I can't take it anymore," Ryuji grunted. "Are you three really related?"

"Sometimes I wonder…" I muttered.

"He's a really nice guy," Rin said unconvincingly, looking down at his rock. "Somewhere deep within…"

I snorted. "Key word, 'somewhere'."

Ryuji glared at Izumo for a second and looked away. "We're in this nice situation because of a certain someone," he muttered loudly to me.

"Says the one who grabbed me by my collar!" Izumo snapped.

"And who started the fight to begin with?" he snapped, looking over Rin's head at her.

"Don't fight with me in the middle!" Rin snarled at them. They ignored him.

"You really are an annoying woman!" Ryuji said, leaning forward to look at her.

Izumo smirked. "Tell me something new. So what?"

"You'll just scare everyone away like that!"

"Ok, enough!" I yelled, smacking Ryuji across the back of his head and glaring at Izumo. "Will you guys just quit it already? I don't want to listen to you guys bicker for three hours! I'd rather sleep with Renzo!"

"Hey, it wouldn't be that bad!" said pink-haired boy protested. We ignored him.

"I thought I told you to keep your nose out of other people's business!" Izumo snarled at me.

"And I thought I told you to quit being such a bitch!"

"Do you wanna fight me?"

"Any day, any place, any freaking time, Queen of the Sluts. I'll fight you right now!"

"Stupid! You can't even reach me, you've got a rock on your lap and so do I!"

"Wanna bet?" I reached past Ryuji and Rin, trying to grab her, Izumo reaching for me to slap me. We stared clawing at each other and snarling and hissing like two cats, with poor Rin and Ryuji right between us.

Without warning, the lights clicked off. "What?" Rin yelled as Shiemi let out a shriek. We all jumped up, somehow able to push the rocks off our laps. "Yeow!" Rin yelled. "The stone landed on my foot!"

As Rin moaned and nursed his foot, Ryuji asked, "What's going on? Did he turn off the lights too?"

"That can't be it!" Konekomaru cried, afraid all of the sudden.

"Then is it a blackout?" Izumo asked, momentarily forgetting our fight.

"No, look. There are lights outside," Renzo said, pointing to the windows.

"I don't like this," I said. "I feel like we're in a horror movie. Now all we need is for the zombies to bust down the door and eat us."

Konekomaru yelped. "Don't say that!" he cried.

"Is this building the only one without power?" Rin asked, looking up from his foot.

"Let's go outside," Renzo proclaimed, standing up.

"Renzo, be careful!" Konekomaru said. "You might let in the zombies!"

I rolled my eyes. "There are no zombies, idiot," I said. "I just said that to creep someone out; we're not actually in a horror film." Konekomaru whimpered but didn't say anything.

Renzo chuckled. "Events like this always get me excited," he said.

"Why, because if any of the girls get scared, you'll be free to hold them?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, that," he said, grabbing the doorknob. "It's also a real test of courage."

"Let me guess: another way for you to show off for girls?"

He grinned a perverted grin at me. I rolled my eyes. "Somebody kill me now," I muttered.

He laughed and opened the door, not looking. We all froze, waiting to see if there actually was anything. He frowned and looked through the door. He shut it and rubbed his eyes. "I guess I haven't slept enough," he said. He turned and looked at us, smiling. "I just…"

A rotting arm slammed through the door right in front of Renzo. Yelping, he ducked under it and ran back to us, cowering behind Rin. The ghoul from yesterday shoved its heads through the door, moaning.

"Rin," I gasped.

"That's…" he said.

We all jumped up to our feet as the ghoul lurched through the doorway, its nasty stench wafting towards us. "That's the ghoul from yesterday!" Izumo cried.

"Didn't he put up barriers?" Konekomaru wailed, inching closer to me, for some reason.

We all watched as the ghoul's second head swelled like a zit about to pop, its stitching coming undone. The head burst, spraying us all with some kind of pus-like liquid.

"Ew," I complained.

"What is this?" Rin asked.

"Ugh, it's its miasma!" Izumo moaned.

The ghoul stumbled toward us, a long, pointed tongue stretching for us from its new mouth.

"Ni-chan!" Shiemi said. Her Greenman suddenly appeared and landed in her cupped hands. "Can you give me eely-billy?"

"Ni!" The tiny demon jumped up, crying, "Nininininini!" as tree roots sprang from its little body, forcing the ghoul back to the other side of the room, blocking it from coming towards us.

"Whoa…" we all awed. "Amazing!"

"Thank you Ni-chan!" Shiemi cried, rubbing Ni against her face.

"Ni!"

"You saved us Shiemi," Rin said, walking up to a small opening in the roots. "Thanks to you…" Something drew his attention into the roots. He gasped.

"What is it, Nii-san?" I asked, hurrying over.

"Stay back!" he commanded, stopping me. "It just split apart into two ghouls!"

Something began banging against the roots on the other side of the room. "It's coming!" Renzo shouted above the racket the demon was making.

"It's lively for a corpse," Rin groused.

"Ghouls get really active when it's dark," Ryuji said.

I spared a glance at Shiemi. She started coughing, falling to her knees. "Shiemi, what's wrong?" I asked, kneeling beside the girl, rubbing her back.

"I feel dizzy," she said faintly.

Suddenly everybody but Rin and I started coughing. "Ryuji! Renzo! Guys, what's wrong?" I asked, frantic.

"It got so hot suddenly!" Ryuji cried, tugging at his collar.

"What's wrong with you?" Rin asked, as confused as I was.

"It's because of the ghoul's miasma," Izumo explained between coughs. "Doesn't it bother the two of you?" Before we had time to answer, she fell into a violent coughing fit.

"Damn, Yukio, where'd you go?" Rin muttered, dialing our brother's number on his phone.

"If Shiemi's strength runs out, the barricade will be gone," Ryuji said. "Then we'll be done for."

"Tell us something we don't know," I snapped.

"Ergh! He's not picking up his phone," Rin growled, shoving his phone in his pocket. "Then…"

"Rin!" I yelped as my brother made his way to the hole. "You're not actually going to…you're not seriously thinking…?"

He gazed at me steadily. "Protect them," he commanded.

"What are you doing?" Ryuji asked.

"I'll go out there and lure it away," Rin said, hopping up into the branches. "If they both follow me, you guys run away. Safaia will help protect you guys if one stays back."

"What are you talking about?" Ryuji snapped.

"Don't worry about me," Rin reassured. "I'm stronger than I look." He looked back to me. "Safaia…try not to…"

"I know," I snapped. "If you're going, then go!" He nodded and weaved his way through the branches.

"You idi—hey! Come back, Okumura!" Ryuji called.

"Okumura!" Konekomaru yelled.

"Stop!" Renzo howled.

Ryuji cast an accusing look at me. "You're actually letting him go and do that?"

I shrugged. "One of us had to," I stated. "One of us needed to stay back with you guys incase both ghouls didn't chase the other. Rin's the best candidate for the first job."

There was a crashing sound and I flinched. "Come and get me!" I heard Rin taunt, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Now if only I had my knives…

"What a guy…" Ryuji said, shaking his head.

"Anyway, let's just get out of here!" Renzo said. "Shiemi, you can lower the barricade."

"No, wait!" I yelped, spotting movement. My skin was starting to burn a little. "The other ghoul's still here!" We all stared through the branches.

Without warning, the second ghoul's head appeared right where we were staring, a little too close for comfort. The boys jumped. "You're kidding me," Konekomaru wailed.

The ghoul started smashing branches out of its way. Ryuji crouched next to me. "I can't just sit and wait until it gets through," he told me.

I shook my head. "Me either," I said. I looked at him. "Like in the forest?" I quizzed.

He nodded. "Like in the forest," he said. He stood up. "Let's kill it with chants," he announced.

"Bon, that's fine, but do you know its Fatal Verse?" Konekomaru asked as they all looked at him.

"I don't, but ghoul type demons usually have their Fatal Verses from the Gospel of John," he said. "I memorized all of it already, so if I just recite it, I'll hit the right one somewhere."

"All of it?" Renzo exclaimed. "But that's more than twenty chapters!"

"Twenty-one, that is," Konekomaru said. "I've memorized one through ten. Let me help."

"Sure, let's do this, Konekomaru," Ryuji said.

"Wait a second!" Izumo screamed. "If you start chanting, it'll attack you!"

"Duh," I said, breaking off a part of the tree limbs. I wielded my new weapon like a mace, a sense of déjà vu passing over me. I shrugged it off. "That's why I'm going to keep the demon's attention." I gave Ryuji a grin and he gave me a crooked one in return.

"Besides, that girl is protecting us all alone!" Ryuji pointed to Shiemi, who was in a praying position, holding onto Ni for what seemed dear life. "A guy just can't sit back and wait!"

"Bon, you're a real man," Renzo said, giving us his trademark mischievous smile. He pulled something out from under his shirt. He clanked three metal parts together, revealing a staff-like weapon with rings on one end. "I haven't memorized it at all," he said, twisting one part on tight.

"You had that with you?" Ryuji asked.

"I'll help Safaia-chan distract it," Renzo said, giving me a smile.

"You're stupid!" Izumo butted in.

"What? You had such a big mouth earlier," Ryuji said, "but now that things get real, you wet yourself. Stand back if you're not going to fight!"

Ryuji turned. "Konekomaru, you do it from the first chapter, I'll start from the eleventh." He turned to me and Renzo. "Don't let it get through."

I rolled my eyes. "Do you always do this?" I asked innocently.

"What, take charge?"

"No, I meant state the obvious."

I watched with satisfaction as he puffed up, ready to deliver a snarky comment, and was slightly disappointed as he wound down and growled, "Shut up and fight the demon. Summon Koinu, if you have to."

"Good idea." I pulled out my paper and said, "Hellhound, I am your mistress! Obey my every whim!" Koinu materialized before me, triple the size of a normal Cocker Spaniel. "Hey, boy! We need your help. See that ghoul?" I pointed at said demon and Koinu snarled at it. "Yeah, you remember him, don't you? You ready for a rematch?" Koinu woofed happily, his tail wagging above our heads. Ryuji and Renzo had to duck so they wouldn't be decapitated by my hellhound's overexcited tail.

Ryuji and Konekomaru sat down, cross-legged, with their fingers intertwined the right way so they could chant. "Let's do this!" Ryuji commanded, and he and Konekomaru began to chant as Renzo and I readied our weapons and Koinu howled.

"This is going to be one helluva fight," I said.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Thank you, all of you who have reviewed my story! It really means a lot to me. **

**Yes, JHO14, I was referring to Fruits Basket, as you saw! (If any of you haven't read it, I recommend it; it's such a cute manga, even though I haven't read all that much of it. I'm hoping to catch up with it soon.)**

**wahs96, I realize that now, and thank you so much for pointing it out! I am planning on having something a little different from the normal manga/anime that we all know and love come soon, but it's kinda hard deciding where to put it since Blue Exorcist is a newer thing, but hopefull the Demon Sleep will come soon! Oh, wait, did I just give something away? Damn spoilers!**

**Anyway, TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE READ AND REVIEWED THIS, AND A BIG THANKS TO ANYONE JUST READING IT! Chapter 8 will be up soon!**


	8. Chapter 8

The ghoul was a persistent little bugger, I have to say. By the time Ryuji was on the fifteenth chapter, it was already just a few feet from a hole it could easily slip through to reach us. Koinu had his front paws in the hole, snarling and growling at the ghoul in an attempt to run it off. Once, the ghoul reached towards my hellhound, and Koinu bit the thing's arm, nearly ripping it from the corpse. I pulled Koinu back from the hole, placing a hand on his quivering body. We'd need to save him for the big fight, if the ghoul got through.

The ghoul had most of its torso, including two of its four arms, sticking out from the hole when Ryuji was almost done with the entire Gospel of John. "It's almost gotten through!" Renzo cried, poking and swinging at it with his staff. It made a grab for him and I whapped its hand hard with my branch, making the ghoul moan and double its efforts.

"Bon has almost reached the end!" Konekomaru told us over Ryuji's chanting.

There was a small thump and I whirled to see Shiemi had fainted. "Shiemi!" Konekomaru and I cried. I went to kneel next to her and make sure she was ok, but Renzo's frantic "Safaia!" stopped me. I turned to watch in horror as the barrier, along with my makeshift mace, that Shiemi had made disappear, leaving the ghoul free to come at us with everything it had.

The ghoul let out a cross between a roar and a moan. "Damned thing!" Renzo yelled, stabbing and swiping at the ghoul. The monster snarled and grabbed the staff, trying to wrench it out of Renzo's grasp, but only succeeded in throwing Renzo and his staff across to the other side of the room.

"Koinu!" I yelled, and my hellhound attacked the demon, rearing up on his back paws and slashing down with his sharp nails. The ghoul swiftly dodged the attack, but wasn't ready for me coming in at its side. "Damn you!" I screamed, slamming it hard with my shoulder, making it stumble. It steadied itself against the wall and swiped at me. I nimbly jumped away, dancing on my toes. It lurched to me, trying to snatch me up but only grasping air.

As I flaunted away a third time while Koinu tried to get the monster's attention by ripping into its side with his long, ivory-white teeth, I tripped over a loose board and stumbled, a prime target for the ghoul. It reached for me, only to be blocked by Renzo and his staff. The ghoul gripped the staff with two hands, trying to push Renzo out of the way. "Bon, are you done yet?" he yelled, doing his best to keep the demon off me. I staggered up and swung my fist at the ghoul, since my branch had faded away with the rest of the tree parts. I connected with its shoulder, nearly bruising my knuckles in the process. For a reanimated corpse, that thing sure was solid. The ghoul let go of its tug-of-war with Renzo, kicked Koinu back to our little party, and came at me again. It punched down at me, and I leapt up onto its arm and ran up onto its back, dodging its three flailing arms.

"Heel, damn it!" I yelled, jumping on its back and wrapping my arms around its neck in a chokehold. I felt my flames trying to break free and help me with the fight, and, sensing an opportunity, I channeled them through my hands, keeping them just below the skin of my palms, but it was enough to burn the ghoul's neck. It reared up, roaring in pain, and shook itself violently, throwing me off. Koinu caught me gently in his massive teeth and set me down before tearing into one of the ghoul's back legs.

Standing up and getting ready to jump back in the fight, I heard Izumo say softly, "I humbly call upon the Gods of Harvest…" I peered around the fight to see her kneeling in front of Shiemi with two wrinkled and bloodstained magic circle papers in front of her. "Follow my wishes, leave none unfulfilled!" Wind swept her hair up as the demons appeared.

"Woman, how dare you summon us again?" one of the foxes demanded. "Know your pla—"

"Obey me!" Izumo shouted, radiating command and making the foxes startle. I blinked. She seemed almost like a queen, though not as bitchy as before.

"She broke out of it," one of the demons commented.

Renzo howled in pain and I turned to see him be thrown by the ghoul, letting go of his staff. The ghoul then turned to Koinu, who now had a hold of its tail, grabbing my hellhound by his muzzle and throwing him back at me. I ducked to avoid getting squashed by my own demon. "Renzo! Koinu!" I yelled. I glared at the ghoul. "Damn you!" I screamed, charging it. It raised a hand and managed to grab my arm. It lifted me off the ground and flicked its wrist hard, not letting me go. I shrieked in pain as I heard a sickening _POP!_ I looked at my shoulder and saw it was dislocated. The ghoul hurled me into the wall, making me scream some more as my bad shoulder hit the floor first. I nearly blacked out from the pain, stars dancing in my vision. I looked up to see the ghoul turning towards Ryuji who was still chanting frenetically.

"Bon!" Konekomaru cried, helpless to do anything.

"One, two, three, four, five," Izumo muttered, moving her hand in the shape of a star. "I'm a bad person, but I'm also a sore loser. Tremble as a leaf, tremble I say! But that's who I am! Fall…and never return to life!" She pointed at our enemy and her fox demons enveloped it in a white tornado. The ghoul moaned and writhed in pain.

"You did it!" Konekomaru cried.

Suddenly the monster broke free of the tornado, sending the foxes flying. "No way!" Izumo yelped.

The ghoul once again turned to Ryuji. "Ryuji!" I howled, staggering to my feet and clutching my bad arm. I ran at the demon, tackling it with my good shoulder. "You stay away from him!" I screamed at it, punching it hard in the face with my left fist, my good fist, which got covered with blood and its miasma. The ghoul brushed me aside like an annoying fly and stumbled towards Ryuji. It picked him up by his head, but he continued to chant desperately, his voice climbing higher in fear and pain. Just as the ghoul was about to eat him, the lights clicked on.

"The lights!" Konekomaru yelped.

"I suppose that even the world…" Ryuji chanted as the monster let go of all of him except his head and writhed in pain from the lights, "I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written!" The ghoul let out a human-like scream as it dissolved to dust and ash. Ryuji fell down to his knees, gasping.

"Bon!" Konekomaru said, hurrying over to his friend.

"I'll di-di-die!" Ryuji whispered loudly, shaking from fear and sheer effort of driving a powerful demon like the one we'd just faced away.

"Bon…" Konekomaru sighed in relief.

"Don't kick the bucket on us yet, Ryuji," I said, doing my best to stand back up and not black out from pain. "We still might need you, sometime in the future."

"What a relief," Renzo said, rubbing his bottom.

Rin came charging into the room. "Is the other one still here?" he cried, looking around.

Everybody but me froze. "You…the other one…?" Ryuji stammered.

"I took it out," Rin said simply. "You defeated yours too? Amazing."

Ryuji leapt up and punched Rin in the face. "What the hell's wrong with you?" he demanded. "Do you want to die?"

"Wait, do you want to kill me?" Rin asked, holding up a hand.

"Guys, guys!" I yelled, running up to them. "Quit it! You—ARRGGHH!" I collapsed on my knees between them, clutching my dislocated shoulder.

"Safaia!" they yelped, crouching next to me.

"Are you ok? What's wrong?" Rin asked, his hands fluttering around me, unsure what to do.

"She got her shoulder dislocated, dumbass!" Ryuji yelled at him. "She's not ok at all!"

"How was I supposed to know that?" Rin snapped.

"If you'd been here, you would've known!"

"If I would've been here, those ghouls probably would've gotten us!"

"GUYS!" I snapped, making my shoulder move. I grunted, trying not to cry. "Will you stop it? Fighting is not going to help us!"

"Sorry," they mumbled.

"Here," Ryuji said, pulling off his sweater and shirt. I did my best to ignore the fact that he was half-naked, right in front of me, with some of the best abs I've ever seen. Using his shirt, he tied my dislocated arm to my side in a cruddy splint to keep it from moving too much. "That should hold until your other brother gets here," he said, pulling his sweater back on. He looked at Rin. "Help me move her so she's comfortable," he demanded.

"Hell, no!" Rin cried. "Who put you in charge?"

"Who said you could go off and leave us at the mercy of another ghoul?" They jumped up, getting into each other's faces. Renzo and Konekomaru jumped up too and began pulling Ryuji away from Rin. Rin backed up, not wanting to get killed by the raging Bon.

"You don't know anything!" Ryuji cried as Yukio walked into the room.

"What am I seeing…?" my younger brother asked.

"Ah, Yukio!" Rin said. "Where were you?" Rin froze as another teacher, Mr. Neuhaus, walked in behind Yukio. "You…" Rin glared at the man. "Yukio…he's…an enemy." A familiar purple boot came flying out of nowhere and kicked Rin in the back of his head and sending him tumbling across the room, making Ryuji smirk with glee. "Mephisto?" Rin yelped as he righted himself.

"Well done, Pages!" our crazy principal cried. "Thank you for your good work!"

"The principal?" Ryuji asked.

"What's going on…?" Renzo asked softly.

Mephisto turned to us, smiling in a slightly creepy way. "Did you think I'd allow demons over mid-class to enter the Academy?" he asked. He snapped his fingers, and suddenly every teacher popped out of some hiding place. Our Grimoire Studies teach came from a trap door in the ceiling, like Mephisto had; a cabinet door opened to reveal our P.E. and Demonology teachers; some floorboards in front of Renzo (the ones I tripped over, ironically,) came out and another teacher popped his head out, waving at us.

"Doctors, please tend to the wounded," Mephisto said. Yukio and two other teachers moved to collect Shiemi and me and give healing doses against miasma to the others. I snarled at the one that tried to come to heal me. Yukio brushed him aside and crouched next to me. "Just a dislocated arm," he muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Duh, I know that," I snapped.

"Hold still," he said, untying Ryuji's shirt from around me. "It won't hurt, but just to be safe…Rin, come here and hold her down."

"Ok," Rin said, and wrapped his arms around my good arm and my middle.

"Wait, I thought you said it wouldn't hurt?" I squeaked.

Yukio ignored me. "Renzo, Konekomaru, if you'll pin her legs…" They complied, Renzo quite happily, in fact. He gently rubbed the inside of my thigh and I kicked him. "No way, bastard," I said. He sighed and pinned my leg to the floor.

"Hold on tight," Yukio said, grabbing my arm and shoulder and forcing the former back into place.

"_YEEEOOOWWW HOLY SHIT THAT HURTS YUKIO YOU BASTARD LET MY DAMN ARM GO THAT REALLY MOTHERFU—_" Ryuji clamped his hands tightly around my mouth, muffling my vulgar protests. The other guys had a harder time of it, trying to keep me from squirming.

Suddenly I heard a loud _pop_ and Yukio let go of my arm. "You can let her go now," he said, sitting back. The boys let me go and I moved my arm a little. It didn't hurt, thank God.

"See? I told you it wouldn't hurt," Yukio said, giving me a smile.

""WHYYOUDAMNBASTARDI'MGONNAMOTHERFUCKING_CASTRATE_YOUYOUBIGFATLIAR—"Ryuji put his hands over my mouth again.

Mephisto cleared his throat. "Ahem, back to the part about me letting in a high-level demon…"

"You can't…" Ryuji started to protest.

"Surprise! I can!" Mephisto said. "This training camp was your Exwire exam at the same time!" He started clapping.

"Wha…?" Rin said.

"During the camp, teachers were observing and testing you," Mephisto explained. "I'll decide your final grades after reading their reports. Wait for the announcement, ok?" He winked at us. "Ah, which reminds me…" He pulled a small case out from under his cloak. "Safaia, my dear, your knives have arrived…" He handed the case to me. Yukio opened it for me and showed me my new daggers. I gasped and everyone crowded around to see.

"Wow, Safaia, you're a real Rogue now!" Konekomaru said, gently stroking one of the daggers.

"Are they…?" I asked tentatively, looking at Mephisto. He shook his head. "No demons have been confined to them yet," he said, giving me a serious look. So, they were safe to draw without my flames coming out. I picked one up, using my teeth to draw it. The hilt was perfect for my hand, giving me enough room between the cross guard and the studded sapphire. I did a play jab at Ryuji, who jumped back. "Don't cut me!" he yelped. "It looks sharp!"

I laughed and sheathed my knife, placing it back in the case with its twin. "Thanks, Mephisto," I said, smiling up at our principal. "I'll be sure to refund you." He nodded.

"Now, if we can all take you to the medical ward…" Yukio said, ushering us out. We shuffled and followed him quietly.

* * *

><p>"DAMN IT!" Rin howled. He sighed and sat on the bed where Shiemi was sleeping. "I can't believe it was a surprise exam."<p>

"They had us completely fooled," Ryuji said from his chair. Everybody but Rin and I were hooked up to IVs.

"We should've considered it…" Renzo sighed.

Konekomaru sighed sadly. "Will I be all right?" he wailed, starting to cry.

"It's pointless to worry about that now," Ryuji said.

"Compared to you and Renzo and Safaia, though," Konekomaru cried, shaking his head, "I did hardly anything worth mentioning!"

"You guys will be fine," Izumo said. "Mr. Okumura told us right before the exam, 'An Exorcist cannot fight alone.'" She paused, looking down. "They tested our qualities for Exwire in a real battle situation, but in that case, I was worst of all."

I snorted. "Yeah, right, Izumo. The way you got control of your familiars again and kept the ghoul off of Ryuji? That's worth something."

She looked at me. "But…the demon broke free of my familiars," she said.

"And my familiar," I pointed out, patting Koinu on the head, who was fast asleep at my feet. "And mine's a hellhound. Quit beating yourself up over it. I think the only ones who need to worry about the exams are those guys." I jerked my head in the direction of Puppet Boy and Emo Kid.

"Yeah, you'll be fine, I guess," Ryuji said. "Those two just sat back and did absolutely nothing." He glared at them. "Don't you have anything to say?"

"I did it," Emo Kid said without any emotion. "I got the Claw of the Scaly Dragon." It took me a second to figure out he (she?) was talking about the game on his (her?) PSP.

Puppet Boy's puppet snapped, "Shut up, stupid brat! There's nothing I'd want to talk about with you!"

Ryuji snarled and clenched a fist. "Ryuji…" I said warningly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"He talked!" Rin exclaimed. "He was so mysterious all the time. He's so good at ventriloquism!"

Shiemi moaned and rubbed her eyes. "Damn…sorry I woke you up," Rin apologized. He sat down as Shiemi sat up. I slid off the bed between Ryuji and Koinu so there'd be room for her to sit.

"It's ok," Shiemi said. "I'm more or less fine by now. What were you talking about?"

"About the exam," Renzo said.

"You'll get the best grade, that's for sure," Konekomaru said, smiling at her.

"I don't even want to imagine what would have happened without you there," Ryuji complimented. "Thanks a lot." He bowed the traditional way, surprising Shiemi.

"Huh? That…no! I should thank you!" she yelped.

"You'll pass, that's for sure," Ryuji said, straightening.

"Yeah, Shiemi," I said, smiling. "If you hadn't put up that barrier, we'd all probably be dead." _Or Rin and I would be locked up right now for revealing our flames to them_, I couldn't help but add mentally.

Renzo laughed. "Yeah, or we'd all be failing," he commented. Shiemi blushed at all the attention and looked down at her hands.

"By the way, Rin, how did you defeat your ghoul?" Konekomaru asked. I tensed. _Ah, hell…Rin, don't say anything stupid…_

"Uh, well…" Rin stammered. "I just…slashed it with this." He pointed to the Kurikara.

"Amazing! You're really fit for a Knight!" Konekomaru said.

"Slashed it with that?" Ryuji scoffed. "Would it hurt, to be more specific?"

"Ha!" I couldn't help but laugh. "You have no idea…"

Ryuji looked down at me. "You two are the greatest mystery…"

"Yeah, just look at me! I'm a great mistake!" Rin said happily.

I giggled as Renzo chortled, "Hey, a mistake?"

"Uh…mistletoe? Mistilteinn?" Rin tried to correct himself.

"You mean mysterious?" Ryuji asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, that's it!" Rin cried. "Thanks, Bon!" He saluted and laughed, making Ryuji growl at him.

"Shut up! I don't need your thanks, you idiot!" Ryuji snapped.

I sighed. "Here we go again…"

"Huh? What do you mean 'again'?" Ryuji asked, looking at me.

"Every time you get a fart crossed with a turd while talking to Rin you act like you want to kill him!" I accused. "What do you have against him?"

Ryuji gaped at me. Renzo snorted into his hand, trying to curb his laughter. "What're you laughing at, Renzo?" Ryuji asked, his eyes narrowing at his friend. Konekomaru looked away, giving up.

"She's right," Renzo giggled, pointing at me. "You always seem to want to pick a fight with Rin."

"Because he's an idiot who doesn't know shit from snot!" Ryuji yelled.

"Hey! I do too know shit from snot! Shit's what comes out your ass; snot comes out your nose, so there!" Rin crossed his arms defensively.

"It was an expression, half-wit!"

"ENOUGH!" I grabbed them by their hair and knocked their foreheads together, hard. They moaned and rubbed the spots where they connected. "You guys seriously need to chill!"

"Your sister is almost as scary as your brother," Ryuji muttered to Rin.

"I know," he moaned. "Sometimes I wonder if I was a single child and they were twins." That earned them each a smack on the back of the head. "OW!"

Yukio chose that time to enter the room. "I see your IV drips have run out," he said. "Let me remove them and you're all free to go. Shiemi, if you'd prefer to stay here, though, to regain your strength, it can be arranged…"

"No, no! I'm fine," she insisted. "All I need is a good night's sleep, I'm sure."

Yukio nodded and removed the bags from everybody's arms. As I was headed out the door, Ryuji caught my arm and muttered, "The forest, twenty minutes. Don't be late." He brushed past me, making me wonder what he wanted.

* * *

><p>I was able to lose Rin and Yukio fairly easily, telling them I wanted to go out for a quick, late walk. Yukio frowned and offered to come with me in light of the "attacks," but I hastily refused and hurried out to the study area. Unfortunately, it was already really late, so it was dark when I got there, not to mention a little cold. I shivered and pulled my jean jacket closer to me. And this was supposed to be almost summer?<p>

I didn't have to wait very long before Ryuji showed up, too. He, being the smarter one, apparently, had brought a flashlight. He accidently shined it in my face as he came through the bushes. "Hey! Point that somewhere else!" I yelped, covering my eyes.

"Sorry," he said, pointing it down at the ground. "I didn't think you'd be here yet. Thought it would take more time for you to shake off your brothers."

I snorted. "Yukio and Rin are easy to lose if you know what you're doing," I said. "What about you? You always have your little posse hanging onto your coattails."

His turn to snort. "I told them I was going out for a jog," he said. "I always jog for about two hours a day. I just told them I didn't get to this morning so I was doing it now."

"Two hours jogging? Just how early do you get up in the mornings?"

"Usually around five. An Exorcist has to be fit to fight demons."

"I thought you were going for Aria."

"I'm going for Dragoon, too."

"Oh yeah."

We stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before I asked, "So what do you want to talk to me about? I sincerely doubt you asked me to freeze my ass off out here so we can talk about your career choices."

Even in the dim light from the flashlight, I could see his face turn pink. I wondered briefly if I was the only one who could do that. "I, uh…I forgot to tell you earlier that you and Koinu did a good job of keeping that ghoul off of me. So, uh, thanks…for that."

I blinked. "But, Renzo, Shiemi, and even Izumo helped me with that," I said. "Have you thanked them? Besides Shiemi, I mean."

"Renzo already knows I'm grateful," he said. "We've been friends since we were kids, so I don't even have to tell him. As for Izumo…" I saw his face twist in anger. "It'll be years before I thank her for anything."

I smiled and laughed. "So…?" I asked teasingly.

"So, what?" he asked.

"So, where's my reward kiss?" I teased. "I gave you one earlier. Don't I deserve one?"

I saw him hesitate; then he dropped the flashlight and pulled me to him, planting a sweet one right on my lips. I was so shocked that I didn't even kiss him back, just stood there like a wooden pole. He quickly broke it off, snatched up the flashlight, and left, leaving me wondering…_Did…Did I just have my first kiss…with Ryuji?_


	9. Chapter 9

**I realize that I have been neglectful in one duty that I have to do, so I will say: I (sadly) don't own Blue Exorcist.**

**Enjoy the show!**

* * *

><p>I reached mine and my brothers' dorm rooms just as Yukio and Shiemi walked out of his, carrying a heavily sleeping Rin. "What the hell?" I asked, looking at Yukio.<p>

"I've got a bad feeling about Neuhaus," Yukio explained, or rather, didn't explain. "Help Shiemi move Rin while I make it look like we're all sleeping in our rooms. Go down the hall and into the fifth door on the right, and stay quiet. Don't come out, no matter what. Got it?" I nodded and hooked my hands under Rin's armpits. I led the way down to where Yukio ordered us to.

Setting Rin down, I grabbed the pillow Yukio'd put on Rin's belly and placed it under my brother's sleeping head while Shiemi covered him with a blanket. "He's cute when he's asleep," she whispered. "He…he doesn't seem as troubled."

I looked up at Shiemi. "You…you really like him, don't you?" I asked before I could stop myself. Shiemi turned pink, unsure what she should say. "I…" Rin chose that moment to wake up. The first thing he saw was Shiemi kneeling over him.

He yelped and sat up. "Shiemi!" he cried. "What am I doing here? We didn't…uh…did we?"

I smacked him across the back of his head. "Shame on you," I said. "You see her but not me and automatically then think that you two did the nasty? Shame! On! You! You have too dirty a mind for your own good, Rin."

"Sorry," he apologized. "What are we doing here?"

"Shh!" Shiemi scolded us. "You wouldn't wake up, Rin, so Yuki had me and Safaia carry you here. He said to let you sleep, but I think something's going on."

Two gunshots rang down the hall, making us jump. Rin and I leaped up and tore down the hall in the direction of the shots, leaving poor Shiemi behind, crying for us to wait up.

Yukio's screams led us up onto the roof of our dormitory. We got there in time to see a giant Naberius swipe Yukio aside. Without even thinking, Rin drew his sword and launched it at the monster like it was a spear. It struck the monster in the back, making it go up in flames. "I _knew_ you were the enemy!" Rin howled as he leapt at Neuhaus.

"Filthy demon!" the man replied, spraying a grenade of holy water in Rin's face. My brother yelped and rolled away, his skin turning pink from the damage.

Neuhaus laughed dryly. "You may look human, but holy water works on you!" he cried. "You can't hide your true nature, you monster!" The same Naberius, still smoking from the contact with Rin's sword, charged Rin. It picked him up in three of its many hands and began to try to yank his head off.

"I call upon the offspring of the Greek Underworld guardian Cerberus! Hellhounds, I am your mistress! Obey my every whim!" I cried, smearing my blood across three of my magic circle papers. Likewise, three hellhounds, including Koinu, appeared and rushed the Naberius, snarling and tearing into the ghoul's mismatched body. "You're one to talk about monsters, Neuhaus," I growled, letting my flames and demonic nature show. I had too; it was the only way I could handle three hellhounds at once. My prehensile tail was going mad twitching every which way and my skin was burning like I was roasting myself. My familiars managed to get Rin out of the ghoul's clutches and were concentrating on keeping the demon away from us.

Neuhaus snarled at me. "Attack!" he bellowed, running his hand down his bloody arm, making ghoulish hands appear and come at me. Roaring, I whipped out my daggers and began slashing the hands to bits. One caught my arm and lunged for my neck.

_Mistress!_ Three voices called in my head at once. Koinu rushed over and grabbed the hand before it reached its target. He started snapping up the hands in his jaws, crushing them and making them dissolve to dust. Rin took his place in fighting the other ghoul. _Nobody hurts Mistress, nobody!_ Koinu turned to Neuhaus and growled low in his throat, baring his teeth.

I gasped. This was the first time I'd ever heard a demon, well…talk. Except for the ghoul in the bathroom, but it had a mouth to talk. Did I have like demon telepathy or something?

Suddenly the Naberius Neuhaus had summoned disappeared. We all looked over to see Yukio kneeling in the circle, his foot having swiped away part of the chalk. In Neuhaus's momentary distraction, Rin held his sword to the man's throat and I leveled my knives to two spots of his back: one where his heart was, the other where his stomach was.

"What are you?" Rin demanded as Neuhaus's eyes widened with shock. The man grunted and reached for his bloodied arm.

"Neuhaus!" Yukio called from way over in the circle. "For your own good, stop! You'll die of blood loss!"

Neuhaus dropped his hand and looked at Rin with his eye. "I am a survivor of the Blue Night," he told us. My eyes widened and I thought back to what Renzo and Konekomaru had told us. A survivor…?

"Satan possessed me for mere moments," Neuhaus continued, reaching up and lifting his eye patch, revealing a scarred hole of where his eye used to be. "But I lost this eye and my family who tried to save me. He used my own hands to kill them!" He dropped the eye patch back down and turned his head so he could look at me. "I can never forgive Satan or any demon, let alone _Satan's own children_!" He glared at us in turn, since he only had one eyeball. "I will kill you…" Too late, I saw him go for his arm. "…Even if it costs me my life!" Two ghoul arms sprouted from his own, one in front, one in back. The one in the back stabbed me in my stomach and the one in front got Rin just to his left, right below his ribcage.

I coughed and choked on my own blood. "Is that all you got?" I taunted through the salty taste. I let my arms drop to my sides.

"Feel better now?" Rin asked. We stepped away, the arms on Neuhaus retracting because of his surprise. I stepped around to my brother and patted each of my hellhounds' noses, dismissing them back to wherever they came from. Rin sheathed his sword and I let go of my demonic form, holing up the power inside me. I put my daggers back to their rightful place on my belt. "If that's not enough," Rin continued, "I'm used to stuff like this, so I'll put up with whatever you can dish out."

"That goes double for me," I said, turning to our teacher. "I'm tougher than I look and I'll let you pound the crap out of me to your heart's content, if you promise not to get innocent people involved."

Rin nodded. "Don't involve anyone else in this!" he pleaded.

Neuhaus stepped back, studying us. "You think this settles it?" he asked, glaring at us. "Others will follow. So be ready!" He turned and stalked off, clutching his nearly ruined arm.

Yukio hurried up to us. "What did you do _that_ for?" he demanded. "You could've died! Are you two really that stupid?"

Rin chuckled and lifted his shirt. "I'm fine! It's healing."

I raised my shirt a little so he could see my wound too. "Mine too. I always knew I was a fast healer as a kid, but this is a whole new level for me."

"Yeah…" Rin said. "Now I really am a monster! Ha ha ha…"

"RIN! SAFAIA!" a shrill voice called. I looked past Yukio to see Shiemi running up to us. I quickly dropped my shirt and stuffed my tails down the back of my pants to keep her from seeing them. Rin did the same with his tail.

"Yuki! What happened to Rin and Safaia?" Shiemi asked, frantic.

"Uh…Shiemi?" Yukio asked, dumbstruck that she'd come.

"We're ok, Shiemi!" I reassured the blond.

"Yeah, don't worry, we're fine!" Rin said, trying to give her a happy smile. It kinda failed with the blood still running a little from his mouth.

"The ghoul's temptaint!" Shiemi gasped, spotting our wounds. "I better treat you, quick!"

"No, no, we're fine…" Rin tried to wave her off.

"SILENCE!" the pert little blond yelled, kneeling and pointing at the ground in front of her. I blinked. I didn't know she had it in her. "Now lie down! Stop acting tough!"

"Huh?" Rin and I echoed.

"Ni-chan, get sancho!"

"Ni!" A bit of aloe appeared from the tiny sprite's body.

Unable to resist her direct orders, we complied and lied down in front of her. I let Rin go first, since his blow looked the worst. He laughed. "Thanks," he said. "Is it all right now?" Shiemi sniffled and Rin looked up at her, astonished.

"Rin, Safaia…I've decided!" she said.

"Decided what?" Rin asked. "Ow, your tears are getting in the wound!"

"Shiemi, what did you decide?" I asked, sitting up. She pushed me back down and started healing me.

"I've decided I want to be an Exorcist, for real this time!"

* * *

><p>"Eins…Zwei…Drei!" Mephisto snapped his fingers and confetti and balloons popped out of nowhere. A banner that read "Congratulations Exwires" unrolled itself over his head. "Congratulations! You've all been promoted to Exwire!"<p>

"Yeah, we did it!" Ryuji cried, putting Konekomaru in a headlock. He wriggled out of it and said, "Great!"

"Yahoo!" Renzo whooped, hugging Shiemi and Izumo, who shoved him away. I saw Izumo breathe a sigh of relief.

Giddy, Ryuji and I turned to hug each other, quickly realizing what we were doing and breaking apart, our faces turning pink. No one else seemed to notice, though, as Mephisto was making another announcement.

"To celebrate this occasion," Mephisto started.

"Yes? Yes? Yes?" the boys cried, inching closer. I rolled my eyes. I had a pretty good idea what was coming.

"…I, the wealthy president of this institution, will treat you all…to monjayaki!"

"THAT'S ALL?"

"We deserve at least some ice cream!" Rin protested.

Rolling my eyes again, I said, "Don't worry guys, I got that covered. I talked with our, uh, gracious president and he said that I can buy us each pint of ice cream. Calm down." The boys cheered, Shiemi clapped her hands, and Izumo rolled her eyes. We all followed Mephisto out the door (he used a magical key) to a small monjayaki place where you could serve yourself.

Rin immediately began piling different ingredients together with the batter. "Let's see, how about we do a cheese-pork-mochi combo, a mentaiko-cheese-beef, a beef-pork-mochi…"

"Slow down, Rin! The griddle can handle only so many different kinds!" I said, sitting on his left. Ryuji sat across from Rin, Shiemi was on Rin's right, Renzo next to her, Izumo across from him, and the two loners were across from each other on the far end.

Rin grinned at me and turned to Shiemi, who was on his other side. "So you decided to become an Exorcist!" he said.

"Yep!" Shiemi said proudly. "I'm going to help everyone out!"

"Can you fight?" Rin asked, pinning his hair up so it wouldn't get in the way while he cooked.

"I'll try to!" Shiemi said, giving him a pouty face.

I laughed and passed down the spatulas. "Easy, Shiemi, he's only teasing." She gave me a small smile and accepted the spatula.

"Who wants lemonade?" Renzo asked, passing out cups and grabbing the pitchers. "We have plain and we have pink, so take your pick."

"Pink!" I said, holding up my glass. He poured me some and gave me a flirtatious smile. I responded by hitting his elbow to make him almost spill the drink on Rin.

"Mr. Okumura! Do you want lemonade?" Renzo asked, looking out at Yukio who was talking to Mephisto.

"Sure, lemonade's fine," Yukio said, coming in. He accepted a glass of yellow and sat down across from me.

"It's about done!" Rin said, scooping up some of the pork-cheese-mochi combo. "It looks delicious! I'm digging in!"

"Hey, wait for me!" Mephisto cried, jumping up. "The cheese-pork-mochi combo is one of my top three favorites!" He hurried in and sat down at the end of the griddle, snatching up a spatula and wrestling for some from Rin and Ryuji. Rolling my eyes and laughing at the boys, I dug in happily, enjoying the moment.

* * *

><p>After our treat of monjayaki, Ryuji seemed to avoid me for the next few days. He did his best not to directly contact me, whether it was handing me a paper or even talking to me. He barely even glanced my way. He didn't even come to the forest study area. It frustrated me. What kind of guy kisses a girl and then completely ignores her? I decided that since he was giving me the cold shoulder, I would do the same to him.<p>

That proved harder than I thought. In Demonology, he and I were paired for the summer project we had to do, a presentation of all known kin of Amaimon, the Demon Earth King. In Grimoire Studies, he, Konekomaru, and I had to spew the names of different holy scriptures when one of us named a demon. In Magic Circles and Seals, I had to draw a summoning circle on the floor with chalk, since I was a candidate for Tamer, while he and Renzo made sure I did it right. Renzo had been all smiles, of course; Ryuji just grunted at me. Even Yukio seemed determined to break my cold shoulder plan. He paired me up with Ryuji and Konekomaru so we could quiz each other on how to treat different demon wounds and the names of different plants that could heal the same wound.

Since my ignoring plan failed because the teachers were out to get me, I confronted him at lunch. Once the bell rang and everyone else had left, I pulled him aside and demanded, "What the hell is your problem?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," he grunted, trying to turn and leave.

I snagged his arm and pulled him back. "Bullshit, you don't," I snapped, making him face me. He glared down at me and I glowered up at him in return, since he was almost a head taller than me. "I'm talking about that kiss the other night."

He froze for a second, then snarled, "Don't you dare tell anyone!"

"I'm not telling anyone!" I cried, waving my arms in the air helplessly. "I just want to know what your deal is! First you kiss me, then you completely avoid me! What the hell is wrong with you?"

He shifted uncomfortably, looking away. "I…I thought you'd be, I don't know, mad or something that I'd kissed you like that."

"Like what?" I moaned, even more frustrated. "I don't get what you're saying!"

"I thought you'd be mad that I'd kissed you without warning!" he snapped. "I…I didn't think you liked it. You were just teasing, anyway."

"God damn it, Ryuji, I'm the one who offered! You're the one who followed through! Why should I be mad at you? If I hadn't wanted to be kissed, I wouldn't have offered, teasingly or not, in the first place!" I sighed, running my hands through my hair. "You know what, now I don't think you'll ever kiss a girl, let alone me, if you keep that act up."

"Oh yeah?" he challenged. "I would too kiss you again, or any girl." Ah, I'd hit his pride. Whoops. Then again, if it could get him to kiss me again, like he did the other night…but slower, not as fast so I could enjoy it more…

"All right then, prove it," I said.

"Now?" he asked, a little panicked.

"No, stupid! Do you want someone to see? We'd be the butt of way too many jokes. Later today, after school, in the forest where we usually meet. Is it a deal?"

"You're on. See you then." He turned and left, leaving me wondering what I had just done.

* * *

><p>When the chimes signaled the end of school, I quickly gathered up my stuff and was about to leave when the teacher pulled me aside. "Ms. Okumura, a word, if you please?" he asked, motioning me to his desk. Rin sniggered as he left and I shot him a glare. <em>You are so dead later,<em> I mouthed at him as I turned around. He stuck his tongue out at me and, making sure the teacher wasn't looking, I flipped him off.

Rin rolled his eyes and left as I asked the teacher, "What is it?"

"The principal would like you to go to his office, immediately," the teacher said, handing me a key. "Just use this; you'll get there faster. Leave it with him and he'll make sure it makes it back to me."

I nodded and used the key on the classroom door, which, thanks to the spell on it, opened up to Mephisto's office. "Ah, Safaia, my dear, come in, come in," Mephisto said, looking up from his paperwork. "You have your knives with you?" I patted my belt where my daggers hung from. "Ah, very good. Now, since we have some free moments, we will begin the process of sealing your flames within your daggers."

"Right now?" I asked, dropping my books in one of the plush chairs. My skin was itching and burning, but maybe it was because of the coal tars floating around in his office. There weren't many but they were kind of annoying when they floated into your vision and made rude gestures at you.

"Of course! We have all we need. We have you, we have your knives, we have a senior first class Exorcist, and we have a powerful demon." He flapped his hands at a rickety looking chair in the corner. "Just sit there, my dear, and we will begin the process."

At closer inspection, I could see the different magic circles engraved on the arms, back, and legs of the chair, as well as the circle drawn in chalk around it. Careful not to mess it up, I sat down in the chair and unhitched my daggers from my waist. "So, how will this work?" I asked.

"Well, first, you will unsheathe your daggers," Mephisto explained, standing up. "Then you will channel your flames into them, while I chant a very special spell that my old friend Shiro Fujimoto cooked up when we sealed Rin's flames in his sword. Once that is done, we will use a Demon King's power to create a seal around the opening of the dagger sheaths that will act as portals to Gehenna. Once we're sure everything is in place, you will sheath your knives and we will go on about our usual businesses."

"Wait, where the hell are we going to get a Demon King?" I asked, confused.

"Why, right here," Mephisto said, pointing up. "Amaimon, will you please come down from the rafters? And spit out that disgusting lollipop. You don't know where it's been."

I looked up and yelped in surprise when I saw a boy with green hair that came to a sharp, yellow point hanging upside down from the ceiling. He was sucking on a dirty blue lollipop that had hairs all over it. He flipped down off the ceiling and landed in a crouch, throwing his lollipop in the trash and pulling a box of Wonka Nerds from his coat pocket. He blinked his big, green eyes at me slowly. "So this is our youngest sister," he said in a slow monotone, crunching on the pink and purple candy. "How boring. Will she play with me later?"

"Yes, yes, I'm sure she'll play with you, but right now we have more important things to do," Mephisto snapped. "Go sit over there and wait until we're ready for you." He pointed to a chair outside of the chalk circle and Amaimon complied. He started chewing on his long black thumbnail, studying me. I glared at him and he blinked.

Mephisto cleared his throat. "Now, Safaia, if you'd please draw your knives…"

I drew my knives and handed Mephisto the sheaths, who passed them to Amaimon. Amaimon blinked and stared at the sheaths, then the knives. "Aren't those Chinatsu Tottori's daggers?" he asked, holding up the sheaths for closer inspection.

I tensed. "How do you know my mom?" I demanded, gripping the hilts tightly.

Amaimon set the sheaths down. "Your mom? Your mother is Yuri Egin. Chinatsu Tottori is—was an Exorcist. A Rogue and Tamer. Why do you have her knives? I thought she gave them to Nii-san for safekeeping." Amaimon and I looked at Mephisto, who shifted uncomfortably.

"Just what the hell is he talking about, Mephisto?" I demanded in a scarily calm voice.

"Well," Mephisto said, shifting uncomfortably under my gaze, "it's as Amaimon said. Your foster mother, Chinatsu Tottori, was an Exorcist and a good friend of your biological mother's, who was Yuri Egin. The night you, Rin, and Yukio were born, Shiro Fujimoto and I were to take you three and seal away your power to keep you safe. Little did we know, Chinatsu and Yuri planned beforehand for you to go with Chinatsu, separating the three of you in an effort to individually control your power. Shiro and I arrived before Chinatsu did and took you all, but we were attacked by a powerful demon, a Naberius. While we were distracted, Chinatsu somehow managed to find us and took you. We searched for you, thinking you'd woke up and crawled away somehow, but we didn't find you and we had to keep moving so no one would come after us. A week later, once things had settled down a little, Chinatsu turned in her badge and gave me her knives, telling me that maybe someday she'd come back, or perhaps another Rogue would come and take her place. She made me promise not to get rid of the daggers unless she came back or another Exwire applied to be a Rogue. So you see, I think she somehow knew that you'd become a Rogue."

I looked down at the daggers. "Mom…was a Rogue? I thought there hasn't been a Rogue in nearly two hundred years."

"There has been no record of a Rogue," Mephisto corrected. "But there have been some who trained for Rogue anyway. Your adoptive mother was one of them. She had great skill in taming demons, also. She was an amazing woman."

"Wait, if you had the knives, then why were they for sale on that website?" I asked.

Mephisto chuckled. "Well, I couldn't tell you I actually already had knives for you…especially if you didn't want them. You still have to pay me for them, you know."

"There's no way in hell I'm paying you for my mother's knives, you cheapskate!" I cried.

Mephisto laughed. "Yes, well, if we could get on with sealing your power…"

I sighed. "Fine." I closed my eyes and took a deep, calming breath, gently letting my barricade down. The flames rushed out, hating being bottled up for so long. I gasped at the sudden rush of power. I channeled them into the dagger blades as Mephisto began to chant. I reveled and regretted in the leaving sensation that I felt as the words got stronger and the flames got weaker. I drew a sharp breath as I felt all but a small portion of my flames rush out of me into the knives. Mephisto stopped chanting and I looked down at my knives. They were on fire, like Rin's sword was when he drew it. I was on fire too, including the tip of my furry tail. My prehensile tail was pointing at Amaimon, straining towards him, the sharp arrow point lit up in the flames.

"Now," Mephisto said, a little out of breath, "now, Amaimon and I will create the portals. Ready, Amaimon?"

"Yes," the Earth King said, standing up. He held the sheaths out straight in front of him, letting them go and moving his hands away as the floated magically in the air. He gently traced the open ends of them with his index finger, muttering something under his breath. Mephisto was chanting again and I watched in fascination as Amaimon stuck his finger in each sheath and pulled them out, licking them and rubbing his spit on the rims. Amaimon snatched two coal tars out of the air and stuffed one in each of the sheaths, the small demons squeaking in protest. Then he pulled two little hobgoblins out of his coat pocket and shoved them in after the coal tars. He passed his thumb over each of the openings as Mephisto ended his chant.

Amaimon looked at me and said, "Well, aren't you going to put those away?" He plucked the daggers out of the air and tossed them to me.

I stood up and shoved the daggers into their sheaths. My flames immediately went out, disappearing as Rin's had when he sheathed his sword. I sighed tiredly and happily. Even though I hadn't really done anything, having my flames out for that long was tiring. I was just happy that I didn't have to worry so much anymore about them breaking out.

I checked the time on the clock on Mephisto's desk and swore. "I'm late!" I cried, scooping up my stuff and hastily returning my knives to their proper place on my belt. "Thanks you guys! See you later!"

"Wait! Aren't you going to play with me?" Amaimon whined, sounding like a little kid.

"Later, Amaimon, I promise!" I called over my shoulder. "I've got to go!" I scurried out the door and ran for the forest.

* * *

><p>When I got to our spot, Ryuji didn't seem to be around. That could've meant one of two things, I decided: I'd either missed him or he hadn't come yet. I decided to sit and wait to see if he'd come.<p>

Just as I was about to take a step forward, the bushes behind me rustled and before I could turn to see what it was, something grabbed me around my waist and clamped a hand over my mouth. I tensed and went for my daggers, but familiar laughter stopped me. I twisted out of the arms of my captor and turned to see Ryuji laughing his ass off, bent over and holding his knees. "You shoulda seen the look on your face!" he roared, laughing harder.

"Cut it out!" I kneed him in the gut, stopping his mirth. "That wasn't funny!"

"You're right, it was freaking hilarious!" He chuckled and said, "Sorry, but I couldn't help myself. Sneaking up on you to scare you was an once-in-a-lifetime chance that I had to take."

"You're brave enough to stalk me like that, I guess. But that doesn't mean you're brave enough to kiss me again," I taunted. "So? Are you going to follow through or do I get bragging rights?"

He stared at me for a minute, and then scooped me up in a kiss similar to the one from the other night. The only difference was that this one was longer and much, much more enjoyable. I even got the pleasure of kissing him back. I reveled in the warmth of his mouth, the softness of his touch, my breathing shallow from the contact. One of his hands was on the small of my back, the other on my shoulder, both holding me gently to him.

All too soon, he broke it off again. "There, I told you I'd kiss you again," he said, turning pink. He dropped his hands and I pulled mine away from where I'd rested them on his chest.

I blinked, star-struck for a moment. I felt my face flush. My lips were tingling pleasantly. Finally I said, "So…what does this mean?"

He looked at me seriously. "It doesn't have to mean anything," he said, disappointing me a little. "Or…it could mean something. It…It's your choice."

I grinned and told him, "I enjoyed that way too much to just let this offer slide." I pressed close to him, letting him wrap me in his arms again. His grip was loose and unsure, like he'd never held a girl like this before. I pushed up onto my tip toes and gave him a peck on the lips. He gave me a shy little grin, still unsure of himself. "Are…are you sure?" he asked hesitantly.

I pecked him on the lips again. "If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't do that, Ryuji-chan," I said. He smiled and leaned in for another long kiss. Seeing it coming this time, I responded with my own. Just like that, we were a couple.


	10. Chapter 10

I began to anticipate mine and Ryuji's alone time in the trees. I attacked my work, as if that would make the class time go by faster. We decided not to tell the others, since, like I'd pointed out, we'd the butt of too many jokes and we'd never live it down. Plus, we were shy. We were content to sit under a tree together, holding hands or him having his arm around my waist or me leaning against his chest. Every few minutes we'd break for a kiss or two, or we'd peck each other while we studied. Ryuji was a stickler for studying and insisted on doing homework and memorizing for at least an hour a day after school before we decided to do something else. Knowing how stubborn he could be, I agreed with him and we helped each other.

"Argh, I just can't memorize like you!" I griped one day. "How the hell do you memorize so much without half of it leaving your brain in a moment?"

He laughed and nuzzled my hair, a favorite habit of his. "It's simple," he said. He passed me his Bible and pointed. "I associate the lines with something that's familiar to me. It helps me remember everything. Plus being an Aria means you need to know this stuff. You don't have to worry about it. You're going to be a Rogue and a Tamer, right?"

"Not to hear our teachers tell it," I said dryly. "Apparently they think I'm trying for every class in the book and then some. Can you help me remember these lines that Mademoiselle Bonnet gave us for homework?"

"Sure," he said, pulling out the piece of paper we'd all received that had the words on it. "Ok, first you need to associate the lines with something you're familiar with. What are you familiar with?"

"You mean besides you?" I teased, making him blush. I laughed and pecked his cheek. "Let's see, I'm good with technology, but I doubt that would work. How about martial arts? I've been going to a dojo since I could walk."

"Ok then, martial arts it is," he agreed. "Now, pretend you're fighting someone, and you want to win because they'll kill you if you don't. Think of this first line as your first hit, and you're defending your life. What would be your first hit?"

"Wait, am I on the offensive or defensive?" I asked.

"Let's say offensive. What's your first strike?"

"Well, I'd start with basic punch; that would be the best way to kick start the match."

"Ok, so when you read this, think of it as a basic punch and commit it to memory like you did when you first learned the basic punch. Only instead of training your body, you're training your mind. Get it?"

"I…think so," I said slowly, reading the first line. Like a basic punch, huh? Ok, time to train my mind with the same rigid discipline my dojo instructors had. I quickly was able to commit it to memory. "That was easier than I thought!" I exclaimed after repeating the first line to Ryuji perfectly.

"Told you," he said with a slightly haughty air. He kissed my nose and said, "Ok, line two. What would be your second move, if you were still on the offensive?"

"Well, if they'd dodged it or it hadn't dropped them, I would go for a knee kick next."

"Good, so do the same thing with the second line, only think of it as a knee kick instead of a punch."

"Ok," I said, committing the line to memory. After a minute to make sure I had it right, I repeated it to Ryuji. He grinned and gave me a thumbs up. "Now try doing both, first line first, then the second," he said. That was a bit harder. Ok, a lot harder. After my fifth stumble, he shook his head. "No, no, no!" he scolded. "What happened to the basic punch, then the knee kick? The way you're mixing it up, it's knee punch and basic kick!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not as good at this as you!" I snapped. "I'm a fighter, not a brainiac like a certain someone!"

"If you just took this the way you did a fight, you'd get it right every time!" he snapped back. He pointed down at the paper. "Try again. Memorize them separately, and then repeat them separately, and then do them together."

Growling in frustration, I did as he said. Separately, I did them perfectly. Together, I fumbled and got my ass kicked, as Ryuji put it. He shook his head. "This is going nowhere," he sighed, standing up. He held out a hand to me. Frowning in confusion, I took it and he pulled me up. He stepped back and said, "Ok, hit me."

"WHAT?" I yelped. "You want me to hit you?"

"Not hard," he clarified. "I don't want broken bones, just bruises, if you can't pull your punches well. Hit me like you would in the scenario I told you. Hit me with four moves you think would bring me down and keep me down."

I hesitated. Shrugging, I crouched into a cat-foot stance, my favorite. "It's your funeral," I told him. I took a deep breath, clearing my mind, and set my body to auto pilot.

I hit him with a basic punch in the chest, making sure I pulled back so I wouldn't leave more than a small bruise. He staggered back, flailing his arms in an attempt to regain his balance. I grabbed his head and forced it to my knee, doing a beautiful knee kick that would've sent him to blackness had I not pulled my leg away at the last moment. I shoved him away and hit him with a palm strike to his chest, knocking him back. As soon as he stood up, I whipped him with a back kick, sending him back down to earth.

He gasped for a minute while I realized that I hadn't held back on the last two strikes like I should have. "Oh my God Ryuji I'm so sorry!" I cried, kneeling next to him. "I totally lost control! I'm sorry! Nothing's broken, is it? Oh my God I'm so sorry!"

"I'm fine," he wheezed, sitting back up and rubbing his chest where my palm had struck him. "Damn, girl, you hit harder than I thought you would. I'm just glad I didn't hit my face on your knee, or I'd have a dent in my forehead and some severe brain damage."

"Still, sometimes you can't feel hurt ribs," I said, my hands fluttering around him. "Let me check, please?"

"All right, all right, since you're so worried," he said, tugging off his school sweater. He unbuttoned his shirt, letting it drop to his elbows and I carefully checked for cracked, floating, or broken ribs. I didn't find any, but his chest was starting to bruise where I'd hit him. I frowned and gently rubbed it.

"Ummmm, Safaia?" he said hesitantly. I suddenly realized that I was sitting with Ryuji with his shirt was practically almost off and my hands on his sculpted chest. Feeling the heat rush to my face, I quickly let my hands drop to my lap. "There, you're ok," I mumbled, looking down at the criminals.

"Safaia-chan." His fingers gently cupped my chin and tilted my face up, forcing me to look at him. He stared at my face for a moment, his expression neutral. I flicked my eyes everywhere, trying not to look at him. It was hard, considering his face took up almost all of my field of vision. His lips nipped at mine and I blinked, staring at him. "So…you're not mad?"

I heard a rumble in his chest as he laughed. "Why would I be mad, you idiot?" he said, wrapping me in a hug. I did my best to ignore the fact his shirt was still halfway off, but damn did he make it hard. "You just did what I asked. To quote a girl I know, I'm the one who offered. You're the one who followed through. Why should I be mad?"

"Because I almost hurt you," I said, choking on a sob. Why the hell was I crying?

"Not as badly as you could have," he pointed out, squeezing me. "You held back with the first two strikes, and I'm lucky you did, or that knee kick would've been the end of Ryuji 'Bon' Suguro."

I couldn't help but giggle a little. He pushed me back at an arm's length, still holding my shoulders. "Better?" he asked. I wiped the tears off my face and nodded. He grinned. "Good." He let me go and crawled over to the tree we'd been sitting at, shrugging his shirt back on and buttoning it back up. "Then let's get back to business." He patted the grass between his knees, offering for me to sit against him.

I groaned. "You never give up, do you?" I sat down where he wanted me to, leaning against him hesitantly. He put his arms on either side of me and propped the Bible and the passage we were supposed to memorize on his knees, effectively trapping me.

"If I give up, who'll defeat Satan and restore my temple?" he asked.

"Rin would," I pointed out. "Defeat Satan, at least."

Ryuji growled. "That's my job, not his," he said. "Now, back to memorizing.

I groaned again. "Do I have to?" I whined.

He laughed and nuzzled my hair again. "Yes," he said. "Try doing it all at once, like when you hit me."

I sighed. "Ok," I muttered. I read the passage three times, doing it a fourth to make sure I had it right. I closed the book, keeping my finger between the pages, and recited to Ryuji. He hugged me and cheered, "Hey, you did it! See, I told you it wasn't hard."

I snorted. "Bullshit," I said. "I had to kick your ass just to memorize four lines. How the hell does it make it easy?"

"It gives you a method on how to memorize from now on," he said. "And for when you're reciting. If you go into a battle and need to chant, you can think of it as a battle, too."

"Ok, your turn, Mr. I'm-So-Smart," I said, flipping to a random chapter in the Bible. "Recite all of chapter three of Luke."

He buried his face in my hair and recited it perfectly. I read along just to make sure he didn't make any mistakes. "What the hell?" I cried. "Are you peeking?"

He laughed into my hair. "No, I'm just smart," he said.

"No, you're just good at memorizing," I grumbled, slamming the Bible shut.

"That means I'm smart," he argued, pulling his face away from my hair.

"Does not," I protested. "Just because you can remember something doesn't mean you're smart."

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Does too!"

"Does too!"

"Does not!"

"Aha!" I cried triumphantly. "It doesn't! You just said so!"

"That's a child's game!" he protested. "I can't believe you pulled that on me!"

"Get used to it, Ryuji-chan," I said, folding my hands behind my head and leaning against his chest. "I always win an argument by any means necessary, even with children's games."

"Oh yeah? Let's see you win a tickle match." He started tickling my sides. I shrieked and squirmed, trying to get away from his devilish fingers. "Ryuji, stop! Mercy, mercy!" I cried, doing my best to wriggle out of his lap. He had his legs firmly locked against my waist, keeping me from getting away. One of his hands moved up to tickle my neck. I squealed and hunched in an effort to keep him from tickling me. Somehow he managed to inch his way into my armpits, my most ticklish spot. I yelped and broke free of his barricade, jumping away from him. "If it's a tickle match you want, it's a tickle match you get!" I cried, leaping back at him and pinning him to the tree. I wiggled my fingertips on his neck and he struggled not to laugh, curving his neck to one side. I saw my chance and started to get his other side, but I left myself open and he got my sides again. I fell off his lap, laughing my head off. He started tickling my belly and I cried for mercy again. Laughing, he agreed and let me go, leaning back against the tree. I curled up next to him and sighed happily. "That was fun," I said.

"Mm-hm," he agreed, nodding. He grabbed his bag and pulled out his Demon Pharmacology textbook. "We still have to do the homework your brother assigned," he said, flipping to the right page and pulling out a piece of paper and a pencil from his bag.

I sighed and got out my own stuff and placed it in my lap. I looked at the assignment. "What plant is used for treating burns and ghouls' temptaint?" I muttered. "God, if I don't know that one by now, I haven't been paying attention to all the wounds Shiemi's healed. Aloe." I quickly scribbled down my answer.

"Aloe? I thought she called it sancho," Ryuji said, looking at the book.

"She does," I said, continuing with my work. "She calls the plants by what her grandmother called them. Sancho is aloe. Homairi is turmeric. That's why she did so bad on that test Rin got a two on."

"Oh, so that's why Mr. Okumura kept asking her about her answers," he said, looking at the work. "Number two is frankincense, by the way."

"You're behind, Ryuji-chan," I teased. "I'm done."

"What?" he exclaimed, looking at my paper. "How the hell can you be done already?"

"Pharmacology is my second best subject," I said, closing the book. "The only class I do better in is Magic Circles and Seals. The last one is Christ's Thorn, not hyssop, stupid."

"I thought it was weird having the same answer twice," he muttered to himself. He scribbled down the answer and closed the book, shoving it back in his pack. "What time is it?"

I checked my watch. "Quarter to six. We have fifteen minutes until supper, so, if you don't wanna leave…"

He grinned and lay down with his head in my lap. "Today was fun," he sighed. "Mostly because I actually won against you."

"It was just a tickle fight," I snorted. "It had no real importance."

"Wanna have a rematch?" he threatened, holding up his hand and wiggling his fingers.

I grabbed his hand and twirled my fingers through his. "No," I said, bending down and placing a quick kiss on his forehead. "Not really."

He sighed and closed his eyes. "It feels good to relax," I commented, looking up at the leaves that sheltered us. I started stroking his hair. "Mm-hmm," he agreed, not opening his eyes. "I wonder what our mission will be on Saturday?"

Yukio had briefed us today that we'd be having a mission this coming Saturday and we were to report to the amusement park outside the school that morning. He had hinted about something more than just Bariyon hunting or coal tar catching, which had been our previous missions. They weren't really missions, more like odd jobs that Exorcists didn't want to do, so they left it to the Exwires. Lucky old Rin had had to deal with his father's previous familiar, a Cat Sith named Kuro. The cat god now lived with us in the dorm and got along with Koinu and my other hellhounds, my Brittany Spaniel girl Izanami and the Rottweiler boy Shoki, the two I'd summoned when Neuhaus had attacked us. I found that I could control them without my demonic presence coming out as long as they weren't much bigger than puppies. Anyway, my mission had been to clear out hobgoblins from an unused classroom attic. Fuuuuuuun.

"I hope it's something halfway interesting, at least," I grumbled. "All I did was get rid of a hobgoblin nest. I didn't even get to go anywhere."

"Guess we'll have to wait and see, huh?" He sat up and grabbed his bag, throwing his sweater over his shoulder. He offered me a hand and I took it, grabbing my bag. "Time for supper. Let's go." He held my hand up until we had almost reached the edge of the forest. It felt good.

* * *

><p>As I was headed out to the forest on Friday, I felt the presence of a powerful demon. Since I'd first sensed that demon and Ryuji had dumped me in the brook, my sensor had been a little weird. I barely felt coal tars and other low level demons now, and the more powerful ones didn't hurt as much. But this one was a close second to the one I'd sensed before.<p>

Grimacing in pain, I looked around and checked to make sure no one was watching. Satisfied that no one else was there with me, I let my tails out from under my shirt, curling my lip at the pain my fluttering shirt brought as it settled against my back. I looked at my prehensile tail. It was straining to the left. Frowning, I followed the way in pointed until the burning had become almost unbearable and my tail was pointing up into a tree. I searched the leaves, trying to find the demon I sensed.

"Hello."

I jumped as Amaimon practically materialized out of the tree. "Do you remember me?" he asked, pulling a lollipop out of his coat pocket and shoving it in his mouth.

"A-Amaimon," I stuttered, reaching into my pocket for my circle papers. I already had my familiars summoned, but I could talk to them and call them from my room by touching their papers and thinking what I wanted to them to do. It had come with my demon telepathy and I found it very useful, especially at this moment.

_Koinu, Izanami, Shoki,_ I thought. _Come to the forest, now. You can sense where I'm at. Hurry._

"I wouldn't do that," Amaimon said, spitting out the stick and pulling another sucker from his pocket. Seriously, where did he get all this candy? "A fight's no fun if all I get to play with is your familiars, even if they are hellhounds."

I froze. How did he know about my hellhounds? _Doesn't matter_, I decided. _They're already on their way in case I need them._

Amaimon pulled a miniature Reese's cup and offered it to me. "Want it?" he asked. I hesitated. First he wants me to fight him, now he's offering me candy. I carefully took the candy and unwrapped it, sniffing it before popping it in my mouth. "Thanks," I said. "Now what the hell do you want?"

He tsked. "Is that anyway to talk to your older brother?" he scolded. "I treat Nii-san with more respect, and you should treat me with more respect, since I am kind of your older brother."

"Rin's my older brother," I snapped, folding my arms across my chest. I bit back a moan from the painful contact. "I don't care what you say. I refuse to acknowledge Satan as my father. So you can take your 'brotherly respect' and shove it up your green ass."

He blinked slowly at me. Then he grinned. "I like snarkiness," he said. "Maybe you won't be boring when we fight."

"I'm not fighting you," I said, letting my arms down and turning on my heel. "I have somewhere else to be right now. Besides, you asked me to play with you, not fight."

He landed in front of me and I yelped, stumbling backwards. "Fighting is playing," he said. He cocked his head to the side and spit out the stick and popped yet another lollipop in his mouth. Did he have a thing for sweets or what? "And you promised to play with me. I studied up on some Japanese games." He grabbed one of my knives from my belt and leaped back. He turned around and smacked his ass at me, clapping his hands and shouting, "Imouto-chan, follow the sound of the clapping!" With a final wiggle he took off through the trees.

"Argh, you asshole!" I howled, following him. "Give that back!"

He stopped on a thick branch of a tree and I landed just below it. "Give. It. Back," I said slowly, grounding my teeth together in an attempt to keep myself from snapping.

I burst into flames as Amaimon pulled my dagger from its sheath. "Interesting," he said, sliding in back and forth, making my flames come out and leave. It was kind of annoying to feel my teeth grow and shrink inside my mouth while I grounded them together. "So I was successful in creating a small portal to Gehenna. Yay for me."

"I said, give my dagger back, damn it!" I yelled. He looked down at me and said, "Um…no. If this is the only way I can get you to play with me, then I'll hold onto this for just a little while." He waved and hopped from branch to branch, my dagger in one hand, the sheath in the other. I snarled and followed after him, drawing my other dagger.

"Come on, imouto-chan, you're faster than this!" he taunted, throwing a handful of leaves in my face. I burned them up with my fire and jumped up, catching Amaimon by the foot. He yelped as I yanked him down and tried to wrestle my other dagger and its sheath from his grasp. "Oh no, this won't do," he said, and tapped the ground with his hand, making it shake and throw me off him. I had my other sheath but he still had my dagger. "Hurry up, imouto-chan," Amaimon called, taking off through the trees again. "You're gonna lose!"

"Damn it, quit leading me on a wild goose chase!" I howled, running through the trees.

Amaimon cackled gleefully and waved his hand. A Bariyon rolled out of a nearby stream and jumped at me. Seeing the danger, I pointed my dagger at it and engulfed it in flames. "You wanna fight?" I screeched, waving my dagger like an insane person. "Then get your dirt-filled ass over here, Amaimon!"

He cackled again and taunted, "You gotta catch me first, imouto-chan!"

"Fine!" I leapt at him, reaching for his neck. He saw it coming and sidestepped me, snatching my prehensile tail as I went past him. "You should really keep this hidden," he said, studying it. "Only girl demons have this kind of tail, plus the normal furry one. Sometimes it's the only way we can tell if a demon is a boy or a girl. But any demon's tail is their weakness." To prove his point, he placed on foot on my butt and pulled on my tail, hard. I yowled in pain and whipped my hand around and managed to grab his ankle. I pulled hard and he slipped, sending us tumbling to the ground. I wrapped my hands around his neck and pressed.

"Yeah! This is more like it!" Amaimon cheered, punching me in the gut. I took it and reared back the hand with my dagger, bringing the sapphire-studded hilt down on his forehead. I would've made more progress if I'd hit a rock. Amaimon just laughed and grabbed my wrist, twisting it so my dagger fell from my grip. I kneed him in the groin and he let me and my second dagger go, doubling over in pain.

My world was consumed in the blue of my flames. I had no control over my actions or feelings. I began punching and hitting Amaimon, not even vaguely realizing he was hitting me back with just as much force and laughing his ass off in glee. I snarled like an animal and bit his hand as it came up to block my fist, my sharp teeth drawing blood. He howled and smacked the ground, sending a giant crack going down the cliff we'd somehow fought our way to. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the gap as it reached towards a tree that Ryuji was walking toward, on his way to our area in the forest.

"Ryu…ji," I formed, fighting my flames. I absently let Amaimon go and he disappeared in the trees, shouting, "That was fun! Let's play again sometime, imouto-chan!"

I trembled with power as I watched the crack Amaimon made creep its way to Ryuji. "Ryuj…Ryuji," I growled, forcing my flames back. I scooped up my daggers and shoved them into their sheaths, strapping them to my belt again. "Ryuji!" I howled, making my flames retreat back inside me. I jumped from the cliff and hopped from tree to tree, trying to find my boyfriend. "Ryuji!"

I found him just as the crack hit a tree, making it fall towards him. "RYUJI!" He turned around, his eyes widening as he saw the danger. I jumped from the tree and shoved him out of the way, feeling something hitting the back of my head before blackness took up space in my memory.

* * *

><p>I cracked open my eyelids just a fraction. A familiar white roof graced my eyes and I shot them open, sitting up abruptly and regretting it. I moaned and put my head in my hands, waiting the swirling of my mind out. "What happened?" I murmured to no one in particular once my brain regained some semblance of gravity.<p>

"You were hit on the head by a tree branch," said a voice I recognized. I looked up to see Yukio sitting in a chair across from the bed I was in. "Ryuji said he saw you get hit by a tree branch while you were walking into the forest. He brought you back here when you wouldn't wake up. How do you feel?"

"Like shit," I said simply. "My head is pounding." I rubbed my forehead, trying to make the pain go away. It was like tiki dancers had decided to have a jamboree inside my head and wouldn't shut up.

He nodded. "That's normal." He pulled a bottle of pills out of his coat pocket. "Take one of these every two hours until the pain is gone," he instructed, handing me the pills. "The swelling should go down and they'll keep the pain away."

"Thanks. Where's Bon?" I asked, looking at the pills.

"He's waiting outside," Yukio said. "Do you want to see him?" I nodded after a slight hesitation. "I'll let him in then." He checked his watch. "I have to go to a teachers' meeting, so I won't be back for a while. If you need anything, call Rin or ask Ryuji if he's still here. I'll see you later." He left and let Ryuji in.

"Hey," I said after a small awkward silence.

"Hey," he replied, leaning against the door.

"You ok?" I asked.

He gave me a surprised look. "I'm fine. Aren't I the one who's supposed to be asking if you're ok?"

"You're the one who was stupid enough to walk under a falling tree," I said.

He snorted. "And you're the one stupid enough to push me out from under it!" he pointed out. "Besides, you're the one that got hit. Are you ok or not?"

"I'm ok," I said, leaning back. "Nothing but a couple of Native Americans having a powwow in my head."

He chuckled and moved away from the door, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "That's good," he said. "I—I mean, that you're ok, not the uh, Native American thing…'cause, you know, that's not good…"

I laughed and took his hand. "You sure are nervous when it's just you, me, and a bed in a room," I teased, squeezing his fingers. He turned bright red. "I can leave," he threatened. He started to stand up.

I clutched his hand tighter and pulled him back down. "Don't," I whined. "Stay. Life's boring when you have to stay in bed for getting knocked out by a tree and no one's around to banter with."

He chuckled. "You can handle demons just fine, but when it comes down to it, a tree is all someone needs to take you down."

"A falling tree with you under it," I corrected, closing my eyes. "Stupid. Why didn't you move as soon as you saw it?"

"You pushed me out from under it before I could," he said, brushing my hair out of my face gently. "That's three times now."

"Hm?" I opened my eyes and he looked down at the floor.

"That's three times you've saved my life now," he said. "Once with the ghoul when we first met in the forest, second with the Naberius from the test, and third time from that stupid tree." He dropped my hand, resting his elbows on his thighs so his hands were between his knees. "I'm bad at this."

"Bad at what?"

"At being an Exorcist. I came here to become an Exorcist so I could defeat Satan, restore my temple, and protect people. So far I'm failing at all three."

I sat up and forced him to look at me. "Ryuji," I said seriously. "Do you know how long it would take me to defeat a demon like a Naberius or something higher ranked without you saying it's Fatal Verse?" He shook his head. "Too long. I'd die. I'm a Rogue, remember? Rogues have high fatality rates because they get into close combat with demons. Even if I summoned Koinu to help me, I most likely wouldn't make it. Yukio said it best: Exorcists _can't_ fight alone. I need an Aria by my side when I fight. I can't think of any better Aria than you. You're strong, you're smart, you've got half the Bible memorized, and…and I love you. You're the Aria for me. I want to protect _you_, too. This goes two ways, Ryuji."

He stared at me, wide-eyed. "You…you love me?" he stammered.

I kissed him. "Duh, silly," I said. "Why else would I date you?"

That left him speechless. Slowly he wrapped his arms around me in a hug. "Thanks," he whispered, squeezing me tight. "I needed that."

"Yeah, you did," I said, hugging him back. "Now can you let me go? You're constricting the blood and air flow so my head is feeling funny. I think I need to lie down."

He abruptly let me go and I rested my head on my pillow. He leaned down and kissed me. "I'll see you tomorrow, if you're ok by then," he said, standing up. "Want me to send in Rin?"

"Yeah, go ahead," I said. I felt his fingers brush my hand lightly as I closed my eyes. "Bye."

"Bye." I heard the door shut quietly.

I sighed and enjoyed my moments of peace. I had to warn Rin about Amaimon, though. I was sure I wasn't the only one he wanted to "play" with. Rin would most definitely be next. I had to warn him not to use his flames, and, more importantly, not let Amaimon take his sword like the bastard had taken my knives.

Three hyperactive barrels of fur and blue fire eyes landed one after another on my chest, yipping and barking and saying a jumble of words in my head that I couldn't make out. As soon as I had my breath back, I shoved my hellhounds off my chest and scolded them. "Shut up!" I yelled. "I can't hear myself think, literally!"

"That's about how they were earlier," Rin said, walking in. "I couldn't get a word in edgewise and neither could Kuro. The most I got from them was 'Mistress' and 'forest.' Kuro thought he heard 'danger' too, but I wasn't so sure." He stared at me for a long second, his arms crossed. "Safaia, what the hell happened to you?"

I reached down and stroked Shoki, making him wriggle with glee and making Izanami and Koinu growl in jealousy. "Amaimon attacked me," I said.

"Who?" Rin asked, confused.

"Amaimon," I said. "You know, one of the Demon Kings? He's the Demon King of Earth. He really likes sweets."

"You got pummeled by a Demon King?" Rin yelped.

"Actually, he's more of the one who got pummeled," I said, pulling my hand back and looking at the wall. "He…he took my knives, Rin." I'd told Rin that most of my flames had been sealed in my knives, like how his had been sealed in his sword. "He took one of them and unsheathed it. I…I lost control for a moment. I kicked the crap out of him and he put Ryuji in danger by hitting the ground and almost making a tree fall on him." Something wet trickled down my face and I brushed my tears away. "I—I was so scared. I can understand why Satan is how he is. That much power…it's not something you can control."

I felt a firm hand on my shoulder and looked up at Rin. His face was so serious it was almost scary, but he somehow managed to assuage my fears. "You're not the only one with this power, sis," he said. "It's like you said: the flames chose us both because their power is too much for just one. Control over them isn't something that will come easily."

"But this is the second time I've ever lost control!" I yelled, making my head pound louder. I ignored my pain. "The first was when you drew the Kurikara for the first time, but that was for an instant, not for as long as my battle with Amaimon! I've had them all my life, Rin. I've managed them for fifteen years, almost. They've never raged out of control and taken me over like this before!"

"Not directly," he mused, looking out the window.

"What?" I asked softly. Shoki wormed his way up into my lap while Izanami put her paws on the bed, resting her head on my knee and Koinu worked his head under my hand. Kuro even came over and rubbed against my cheek, purring softly.

"When I was little," Rin said, putting his hands on the window sill, "I had a lot of anger-management issues. Whenever someone hurt Yukio, verbally or physically, I'd get overwhelmingly mad and hurt them. And I'm not talking just throwing a little-kid's punch at them and giving them a bruise. I would break bones. Crack skulls. Draw blood by just scratching them on their arms and faces. I even snapped a spine, once. Other people just thought I had a bad temper and I couldn't control my strength. They called me a demon's child."

I blinked. It was like he was describing my life, not his.

"I'm betting you had the same problems, too," he said, looking at me but not moving from the window. "Or at least similar ones. But since you never had your half of the flames sealed before now, you learned at a young age to control them, so you kept a level head and did your best to never get angry. I think our anger stems from the flames. If we get too angry, they get beyond our restraint and more or less take us over." He came over and put a hand on my shoulder again. "Don't worry about me, Safaia. I may not have you're militaristic reign over my half of our fire, but I can control my temper fairly well. If Amaimon attacks me, I'll keep my head."

"It's not your temper I'm worried about," I said. "It's him taking your sword. He took my knife like it was nothing. You absolutely _have_ to be careful, Rin. You can't let him get your sword."

He reached down and gave me a brotherly kiss on the forehead, shocking me a little. "I promise," he said. "Now get some sleep. You've got to be ready for our mission tomorrow. I'll see you later." He shut the door quietly on his way out, Kuro trotting after him.

Sleep sounded wonderfully good, even after my long time being unconscious. Yawning, I snuggled into the pillow on my side, putting an arm across Koinu as Izanami and Shoki curled up at my belly and back. It wasn't hard to drop off into the wonderful realm of dormancy.

* * *

><p><strong>For those of you who don't know:<strong>

**Izanami-Primordial Japanese goddess of earth and darkness**

**Koinu-puppy**

**Shoki-Japanese god of afterlife and exorcism**

**If I'm wrong on the names or the martial arts moves, please correct me! I hate being wrong :(**


	11. Chapter 11 Part Eins

**Sooooooo sorry I took so long to update everybody! I'm having a serious case of high school homework and new boyfriend, not to mention a little writer's block. Hopefully I'll have part 2 up soon. Anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Rin, Yukio and I woke up early the next morning and met Mr. Tsubaki, the P.E. teacher. Yukio had to be there early and since Rin and I had to be there anyway, we just left with Yukio and waited. We waited by the fountain just outside the park. Yukio and Old Sideburns stood off to the side, muttering about something or other, while Rin sat atop the fountain's highest ring and I sprawled out beside him, reading my manga.<p>

I read and reread Bleach 32, trying to keep my mind from wandering into boredom. I gave up after a while and asked, "Hey, Yukio! What's our mission here, anyways?"

"I'll tell you once everybody is here, Safaia," he answered, not looking up from his file.

"Oh, come on," I whined, jumping off the fountain and going up to him. "Throw me a bone, here! Just a hint, a tidbit, a teensy-weensy—" I got a face full of file that felt more like a hardback book than a bunch of paper. "Ow!" I yelped, rubbing my nose.

"You were so asking for that!" Rin laughed, nearly falling off the fountain. Seeing a chance to escape my boredom and get revenge for him laughing at me, I tackled my older brother and pulled him off the structure. "Shut up, pointy ears!" I snapped, tugging at his ears while kicking him in the gut. "No one asked for your opinion!"

"Ow! Hey! You have pointy ears too! And pointy teeth!" He pinched my ear and tried to punch me in the mouth. I dodged it and tackled him again, sending us rolling across the sidewalk as we scuffled.

"Hey! Stop it, Okumura! Okumura, you stop too!" Mr. Tsubaki yelled at us, trying to pull us apart but confusing us more than anything. We shrugged him off like he was a bug and I landed a solid punch to Rin's eye, following it with one to his gut. His breath left him with a _whoosh_ and I tried to jam my foot at his knee. I missed but he grabbed my shoulders and rolled on top of me, drawing back a fist. It caught me across my jaw. Snarling, he reared back for another one just as someone grabbed his arm.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Ryuji demanded, pulling Rin off of me as Renzo and Konekomaru helped me up.

Rubbing my jaw to work out the pain, I said, "Trying to kill our boredom."

"Seems more to me like you guys are trying to kill each other," Konekomaru observed, looking at my jaw. "It's turning purple. Are you ok?"

"Fine, I'm fine," I assured him. "I've had worse than this, trust me."

"Why are you beating her up?" Ryuji demanded of Rin, who said, "Hey, she started it!"

"I did not!" I protested, curling my hands into fists.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Oh yeah?" I leapt at him but he was ready for it, landing a punch on my shoulder. I kicked at his groin but he twisted and I missed the golden spot, though I did catch him on the inside of his thigh, sending him down. I dropped on him, catching his fist in one hand and going for his good eye with the other.

"Stop!" Ryuji commanded, pulling Rin away while Konekomaru and Renzo dragged me back. "Jeez, Safaia, and you chastise _me_ for getting into fights with Rin?"

I looked away pettishly, silently denying it. Rin stuck his tongue out at me and I glared at him. I suddenly felt something inching its way up under my shirt. I was glad I had decided to have my tails higher up and closer to my breasts, or the pervert would have felt them as soon as his hand had gotten under my shirt. Without even looking I elbowed Renzo in the cheek. He hastily pulled his hand back and massaged his face, muttering apologies, even though he didn't sound sorry. I yanked my arm away from Konekomaru and sullenly sat on the fountain, staring down at my feet with my arms crossed. Yukio gave me a disapproving look but didn't say anything. Rin reclaimed his spot on the top of the fountain as the others relaxed around me.

Tsubaki chastised me and Rin but I barely listened, only remembering that he wasn't going to give us detention. He made us mumble apologies to each other and I ignored everyone after that. I was depressed, still angry and frustrated that Amaimon had taken my knives away so easily. And his comment about my tails; how else was I supposed to hide them? It wasn't like I could retract them into my body…could I?

"Sorry we're late!"

I looked up from my wallowing in self-pity to see Shiemi hurrying over with Izumo struggling to keep up with her, strangely enough. But what really made me stare was the fact that Shiemi wasn't wearing her normal kimono. Instead, she was wearing a school uniform.

"We got delayed!" the happy and self-conscious blond explained as she and Izumo stopped in front of us.

"Shi-Shiemi! What happened to your kimono?" Rin asked as we all looked at her, dumbstruck.

"Well…" she said a little nervously, "since my kimono wasn't really suitable for missions, the principal had me provided with a uniform. We're late because Izumo was teaching me how to wear it."

"Why me?" I heard Izumo mutter in regret. I gave her a sorrowful look. I couldn't blame her for not wanting to teach Shiemi how to wear normal clothes. It couldn't have been easy. I was just glad Shiemi hadn't found me and asked me to do it.

"Um…it…it looks a bit weird, right?" Shiemi asked, blushing.

"It's fine!" Renzo immediately said. "You look really cute, Shiemi!" Ryuji nodded enthusiastically and I resisted the urge to hit them both; Renzo for being a perverted idiot, Ryuji for looking at another girl. He was with me, damn it! Even though nobody else knew...still.

"W-What the hell," Rin muttered. "Her skirt's too short, right Yukio?"

"Why do you need to ask me that?" Yukio asked, not looking up from his file.

"What, it's not like you were looking at her boo—" Yukio promptly hit him in the face with his file like he had me earlier.

"THAT HURT, FOUR-EYES!" Rin yelped as I cackled at my inadvertent revenge.

"All right, listen up. Now that everyone has gathered, I'm going to be dividing you into pairs," Yukio said, adjusting his glasses and looking back down at the file. "Miwa and Takara. Suguro and Okumura-Tottori." _What?_ Me and Ryuji were partners? Oh shit. "Okumura and Moriyama. Kamiki and Shima."

"Um, Mr. Okumura, there's an odd number of us," Izumo said, raising her hand. "Yamada doesn't have a partner."

"I'm well aware of that, Ms. Kamiki," Yukio said. "And, since you generously pointed that out, Yamada will be partnered with you and Shima into a group of three."

"Hey! That's not fair!" Renzo yelped.

"Truth be told, I think he was going to put Emo Kid with you two anyway, to keep you from flirting with Izumo and to keep Izumo from killing you," I said. "When he hit me earlier I saw part of the list that he was fiddling with and I saw all three of your names circled together."

"Yip-freaking-ee," Izumo said sourly, crossing her arms.

"This time we're at True Cross Academy's amusement park," Yukio broke in. "Nicknamed 'Mephy Land,' and in order to deal with the witness and damage reports of a ghost inside here, all the Exwires have been recruited to help find it."

"Can anyone tell me the definition of a ghost?" Mr. Tsubaki asked. "Kamiki!"

"Yes!" Izumo said, raising her hand before quickly putting it back down. "Ghosts are demons who possess material objects from human and animal corpses and then turn them to vapor. Naturally, their characteristics are influenced by the feelings that they had when they were still alive." Mr. Tsubaki nodded conformation.

"This ghost is the type that isn't tied down to one location, and has been witnessed all over the park," Yukio said. "It has the appearance of 'a small little boy.' At the moment, the damage is at the extent of him yanking on peoples' arms and legs and lifting skirts."

Renzo snorted. "Childish pranks," he said.

"Like that's ever stopped you," I muttered. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryuji and Konekomaru grin as Renzo turned as pink as his hair.

"True," Yukio said, apparently not hearing my comment. Or he was decidedly ignoring it. "However, if we leave it unattended as it is, there is a chance that it may become evil and dangerous. Once you've divided into the pairs I've just listed, I want you to scatter until nightfall and try to find it. If you find it, either call mine or Mr. Tsubaki's cell phone immediately. If you have any questions, please raise your hand."

"Does it have any other aspects of its physical appearance?" Konekomaru asked, raising his hand like the good little school boy he was.

"There's no need for any further explanation because you'll understand as soon as you find it," Yukio said. "No other questions?" We all shook our heads. "Well, then, since there aren't any other questions, you're all dismissed!" We all grabbed our partners and took off in different directions.

"This should be a snap," Ryuji said as he and I headed for the Ferris wheel. "With this many people, we'll be sure to find it before sundown." I grunted but didn't say anything. He gave me a look. "What's your deal?" he asked, frowning. I looked away. "Let's start looking here," I evaded, heading for the booth with the ring game.

He caught my arm and made me face him. "I said, what is your deal?" he asked. "Are you mad at me for taking you to Yukio yesterday to heal you? Well, I'm sorry, but I wasn't about to wait for you to wake up in the forest!"

"It…it's not that," I said, not meeting his eyes.

"Then what the hell is it?" he asked, frustrated. He threw his hands up in the air. "What did I do to make you so mad? Was it stopping your fight with Rin?" I shook my head, too embarrassed to say what it actually was. I could feel all the heat boiling up in my face. "What is it then, God damn it!"

"I…I didn't like the way you looked at Shiemi," I mumbled into my shirt. I dared a peek up at him. His face was complete shock. Still embarrassed, I looked back down at my feet.

He started to laugh and I looked back up at him, confused. "You're _jealous_," he cried. "You're jealous of the way I looked at Shiemi because she was in a school uniform!"

I hit him in the chest. "So what if I am?" I demanded. "I'm your girl, she isn't!"

If anything, he laughed harder. "I can't believe that you're actually jealous! Of all the things I thought I'd have to put up with for being with you, jealousy was not one of them!" He sobered. "Look, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. It's not like Shiemi's ever worn anything but her kimono, and that uniform looks really great on her. Any guy would think that, even me and your brother Yukio, though he's probably better at hiding it than I am. All I know is that we're better than Renzo, for sure, the pervert. Forgive me?"

I sighed. "You make it hard not to," I said, helping him up. "So yeah, I forgive you, I guess."

He squeezed my hand. "Great," he said. "So where do you want to look for the ghost first?" He started to drag me down the street.

"Wait," I said, holding him back. "Let me see if I can sense it. If I can, then this'll go even faster." He nodded. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, concentrating on stretching out my range of demon detection, searching for even the slightest burn or tingle in my skin that would tell me where the ghost was. After a few moments of trying, I frowned and opened my eyes. "I can't sense shit," I admitted. "Maybe we should just walk around and search with our eyes until I can sense it?"

He shrugged. "If that's what you think we should do," he said. He gently tugged me with him. "Come on, let's search over here." He led me over to the ring toss game.

"Ever done this before?" he asked, picking up a ring and studying it.

"No," I admitted. "My parents and I never really went to amusement parks. Dad could never handle the rides that Mom and I would want to ride, and it was never fun unless he was there. So we gave up going after I turned seven." I gently fingered the tail of a giant plush tiger hanging off to the side. "It didn't help matters any that I was always spouting about the demons I saw whenever we left the house. Dad didn't like that kind of public embarrassment. The daughter of the CEO of the big computer company, claiming she saw monsters in public? On more than one occasion we got references to shrinks and consultants, even in the middle of a crowd. It wasn't good for business, Dad said."

I felt an arm wrap around my waist. "How about we come back here sometime?" he asked. "We can make a day of it, just you and me hanging out here, riding the rides, playing the games, you know. I'll even win you that tiger, if you want." He nodded to the plush toy that I was stroking. "Like…like a date. What do you say?"

I smiled a little and gave him a hug. "Thanks, Ryuji-chan," I said. "I'd like that."

"Come on," he said, taking my hand again. "Let's find that ghost." I nodded and we headed down the street, looking every which way for the ghost.

"Oh, let's go in here!" I said, running up to the House of Mirrors. "I've never been in a House of Mirrors before!"

"Really?" he asked, walking up.

"Yeah, every time we'd find one, it'd be time to leave. I really want to go in!"

"Come on, then. It's as good a place as any to look for a ghost. We'll be able to see in just about every direction, anyway." He followed me into the building.

"Whoa," I said, looking around, wide-eyed at all my duplicates who looked just as amazed as me. "There's a million of me!"

"That's what Houses of Mirrors are for," Ryuji said, looking around a little unenthused. "That and they're meant to confuse you. Hold on to me, so we don't get separated and lost, ok?"

I took his hand. We rounded the corner and I shrieked. "What? What?" Ryuji asked, looking around quickly.

"I'm fat!" I pointed to the mirror across from us. He sighed. "It's just a mirror to make you look like your fat," he explained. He pointed to the one next to it, where he was reflected. "See? That one makes me look like an anorexic. Scratch that, it makes me look like I make an anorexic look fat." It was true. His reflection seemed hardly wider than a pencil. We switched mirrors and it was my turn to look like a stick and his to be a tub of lard.

I sighed in relief. "So I'm not fat?" I asked.

He laughed. "No, you're not fat," he reassured me. "Come on, let's keep looking."

We wove our way through the House and found nothing. We combed through the rest of the street, searching for any sign of a little boy ghost. "Not here either," Ryuji told me, coming out from the balloon popping booth. "And that's the last booth on this street."

I pulled out our map that Mr. Tsubaki had given us and crossed off our street with a pen. Whipping out my cell phone, I asked, "You have Renzo and Konekomaru's cell numbers, right?"

"Of course," he scoffed. "Why wouldn't I? They're my best friends."

"Text them and tell them that we've cleaned out Gehenna Way," I said, looking up at the street sign. "And that we're making our way down to the Ferris wheel on Hell's Avenue. Tell them to mark off Gehenna Way and ask them where they've searched. I'll do the same with Rin and Shiemi. This way, we won't be backtracking and searching where the others have. We'll find the ghost faster, too."

"Not a bad idea," he said, pulling out his cell and sending texts to Renzo and Konekomaru. "Good thinking, Safaia-chan."

I shrugged modestly and said, "If we've got the tools at our disposal, why not use them?" I flipped open my phone as it buzzed. "Rin says he and Shiemi just finished with Hell on Wheels Boulevard. They're going towards the Go to Hell roller coaster. Tell Renzo and Konekomaru real quick." I quickly marked off those spots.

"Konekomaru and Takara are on Mephisto Lane," Ryuji said. "And Renzo and Izumo have made it all the way to the Haunted House on Mephy & Co. Road, already." Nodding, I chalked off the locations and sent the information to Rin.

"Ok, so that's about a third of the park searched already," I said, tapping my pen against my chin. "At this rate, we'll find the ghost within the hour." I rolled up the map. "Let's get going."

"Right." We took a left onto Johan Faust Avenue and followed it towards the Ferris wheel.


	12. Chapter 11 Part Zwei

Twenty minutes, some free popcorn and cotton candy, a bag of chocolate, two candied apples, and some ice cream cones, and still no sign of the ghost. I was beginning to get frustrated. Surely at least someone would've seen the ghost by now!

"Damn it, this is getting frustrating," I grumbled as Ryuji and I walked down Faust Way, looking around for the ghost. We were almost to the Ferris wheel. "Not even a haunted candy stand. And I still haven't sensed anything!"

"What about that nest of hobgoblins?" Ryuji asked, rubbing the spot where he'd been bit. I'd been a bit too eager in trying to find the ghost earlier and hadn't realized that I was sensing more than one demon until we literally stumbled into a small nest of hobgoblins in yet another ring toss game. We were able to get rid of them, but not without a few nasty bites and stinging scratches.

"That doesn't count," I said, still sore about my slight failure. "I can only sense the demons and how strong they are, not how many and what kind." Ryuji smartly didn't say anything, just kept walking.

A burst of pain in my skin made me stop in my tracks. Ryuji was holding my hand and stumbled at my abrupt stop, pulling me forward and stumbling into him. We crashed to the ground, groaning. "What the hell?" Ryuji asked, standing back up and helping me to my feet.

I didn't say anything, just spun around until my prehensile tail was poking me directly in the back, indicating the demon Amaimon was that direction. I yanked our map out of my pocket and checked it. That was the general direction where Rin and Shiemi were!

"Rin's in trouble!" I yelped and took off for my brother, wondering why I didn't get a text or at least a call from him.

"What?" Ryuji asked, jogging up behind me. "What do you mean Rin's in trouble?"

"I can't explain, he and Shiemi are just in trouble! Come on!" I headed for a part of the Go to Hell roller coaster that was close by and started to climb, momentarily forgetting my fear of extreme heights. He panted after me, scaling the hundred-foot coaster with a lot more caution.

"Wait up!" he yelled as I continued to get farther and farther from him. I ignored him and jumped onto the coaster tracks, scanning for Rin and Shiemi, but most of all, Amaimon.

A speck of movement made me squint to see Shiemi chasing after a small floating boy. They found the ghost, then. But where was Amaimon? I was sure the presence I was feeling was his…

A brief flash of bright blue made me head snap around to see Rin standing at the base of a gold-plated statue of Mephisto. Amaimon was hanging off the statue's shoulder, holding Rin's sword and repeatedly pulling it out and sheathing it, making Rin burst in and out of flames in short increments.

I swore like an American sailor. Hadn't I told Rin to be careful? I rapidly descended from my perch, meeting Ryuji, who was only halfway up the coaster. "Back down!" I called as I came down. "I know where they are, so come on!" He gave me a bewildered look and began to descended, just as slowly as he came up. Sighing, I leveled myself with him and demanded, "Get on!"

"What?" he asked, stopping.

"Get on my back! You're going too slow. We need to get there as of yesterday, Ryuji. Get on my back already." He hesitated before complying, wrapping his arms firmly around my shoulders and letting his feet dangle behind me. "Hurry," he wheezed with effort from holding on. "I don't know how long I can hand like this."

I shot down, my hands and feet a blur. When we neared the bottom, I pushed off the bars, letting us drop the last fifteen feet. Ryuji yelped and shut his eyes, waiting for the impact, but as my feet touched the ground I shrugged him and his weakened grip off and rolled to keep myself from getting hurt. I jumped up and took off for my brother, leaving Ryuji in the dust. I didn't need him seeing Rin in his demonic form, much less those blue flames that had destroyed his temple years ago.

As soon as I was far enough away from Ryuji so he wouldn't see me, I jumped as high as I could back onto the roller coaster, a good fifteen feet or so up. I clung onto the bars, climbing higher once I realized I couldn't see Rin and Amaimon from there. I scaled the coaster as quickly as I could, feeling like the ninja I was. Ten feet from the rails, I stopped and looked around. A familiar blue was illuminating the bright red of the roller coaster bars and I looked in that direction, seeing Rin climbing up the coaster to Amaimon. The Demon King in question was standing on the track, the Kurikara slung over his shoulder lazily, watching Rin with disinterested eyes. Amaimon kneeled down and placed his palm on the rung beneath him.

"Rin, look out! It's a trap!" I screamed in vain once I realized what my twisted older half-brother was planning. I hurried up onto the tracks and sprinted to my warring brothers, ignoring the fact of just how high up I was.

Amaimon raised his hand again just as I was thirty feet from him and Rin, smacking it back down onto the rail. The rail and the ones below it crumbled down, taking Rin with them. Amaimon jumped to avoid getting hurt, grabbing Rin's throat as he fell too.

"Rin!" I screamed as they fell down underneath the coaster. I looked into the hole and saw Amaimon smack Rin with his own sword scabbard just before they hit the ground. I winced as dust blossomed upward into my face, making me cough and my eyes water a little. I looked back down to see Amaimon still holding Rin by his neck, his legs on either side of the boy's chest.

"Such a letdown," Amaimon said. "I don't understand why Father and Brother have become entranced with something like this, when the girl is so much more fun." He kneed Rin in the gut hard, making him spit up a little blood. "Oh my…even though that'd be good to kill my boredom, righ—" His air left him as I crashed down onto his back, pinning him between me and Rin.

"Asshole," I growled, trying to dig my knife into his back. He shifted out of the way and I missed, but not by much. "I want you to stay away fro—"

Amaimon went flying and I was thrown to the side from the force of Rin's push. My triplet brother got up, his face dark and hair wild, eyes bestial. He snarled at Amaimon. Roaring with blood coming out of his mouth, he tackled the Demon King out of the roller coaster rails and began to wale on him. He put his hands on Amaimon's neck, holding him to the ground. They both burst into flames.

"Wow," Amaimon said. "Now we're talking! That's the spirit!"

"Nii-san!" I howled, snatching up my knife and doing the natural thing that came to my mind: I put my hands on Rin's shoulders and began to absorb the flames from him. Don't ask me how I did it or how I knew I should do it. I just did. I sucked away some of the out-of-control flames, feeling Rin's anger, resentment, and above all, fear. I sucked in a sharp breath and drew away, feeling the flames taking me over again. _No!_ I screamed in my mind. _You will NOT have me again!_ I shoved my dagger into its scabbard and trembled from the effort of sealing away the raging fire in me. Slowly, ever so slowly, my fire began to resist less and less and return to the box in my mind, the lost little sheep returning to their Bo Peep.

I heard a crashing sound and a scream. Rin and I turned to see Shiemi and the ghost huddling under some tree trunks formed from Ni, a vain protection for the thousand-pound rails raining down on them.

"Shi…em…i," Rin struggled. "Shiemi!"

He thrust out a hand, sending a wave of blue fire to the girl and melting the rails into nothingness. I felt a chunk of fire under my control leave me along with my wind. I sucked in air and watched as Shiemi looked at the dying fire in front of her, confused on what had just happened.

Amaimon kicked Rin into me and sat up as we crashed against the roller coaster. "Aw, what happened?" he asked. "Are you already done?" He cocked his head to the side as he stood up. "How boring." He walked over and plucked my daggers from my side. "Although your older brother tries to stop you…now that you've both become like this, shall I break your sword and daggers?"

"Wh-What are you?" Rin grunted.

"B-Bastard," I growled. I shoved Rin off me and reached for my daggers, Amaimon dancing out of my reach.

"Devour the Seven Princesses…" a voice said from up above. I looked up in time to see Emo Kid pulling a strange katana out of his (her?) sweatshirt. "Slay the serpent!" He (she?") crashed it down onto the Kurikara that Amaimon still held. He dropped my daggers and I scooped them up, shoving them back into their sheaths.

Amaimon jumped back. "And you are?"

"You're the demon Earth King, Amaimon," Emo Kid said calmly. "How did a big shot like you manage to enter the Academy? Did Mephisto let you in?"

"You're being a hindrance," Amaimon said, leaning the Kurikara on his shoulder again. Rin gritted his teeth and I grabbed his arm, shaking my head at him and giving him a hard look.

"Yer the hindrance," Emo Kid slurred, running his (her?) hand along his (her?) sword, ready to fight.

Amaimon glanced at Rin, who had slung his arm around my shoulders in an effort to stay upright. He was breathing hard and it was all I could do not to let him go and let him drop like a sack of potatoes.

"So it is over, after all," he said, sheathing the Kurikara and putting out Rin's flames. He tossed the sword at us and I caught it with my free hand. "Another time, perhaps." He cackled and leaped off, disappearing over the bouncy house.

"Hey! Wait!" Emo Kid shouted. "Tch! He was just friggen' playing!" Emo Kid turned to us. "Hey! There'll be people gathering here soon! You gotta cover your tails!"

I blinked and my prehensile tail prodded my behind. "Aw, shit," I muttered. "Of all the freaking…" I shoved both tails up my shirt, wrapping them tightly around my middle as Rin numbly put his down the back of his pants. He dropped to his knees, no longer accepting my support. He held up his hand and stared at it. I had a feeling I knew what was running through his head.

"Rin!" Our heads shot up to see Shiemi climbing around the wreckadge we'd created. "What happened?" she asked, hurrying over. She placed a comforting hand on Rin's shoulder. He jerked away and screamed, "Don't touch me!" He smacked her hand back.

"Rin…" I said softly, reaching for my brother. He gave me such a glare I flinched back.

"What's wrong?" Shiemi asked, confused at his actions.

"Ah…it's…" he said. He looked down, unable to bring himself to say it. I didn't blame him.

He stood up. "I'm sorry," he apologized softly. "It's nothing. Aside from that, were you ok? What happened with the kid?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait," I said, holding up my hands. "What kid?"

"We found the ghost," Shiemi explained. "He…he disappeared. He told me, 'Thanks, Onee-san.'"

"Oh," Rin said. I scratched my head, a little confused. "So, what, did you exorcise it or something?" I asked. Shiemi shrugged and I figured she more or less did.

Shiemi smiled at Rin. "Next time the two of us will come play for sure!" she said perkily. I gave Rin a questioning look and mouthed, _What the hell is going on?_

_Later, I'll tell you later,_ he mouthed back after giving Shiemi a weak smile. "S-Sure," he said, still a little shaken.

"Rin?" she asked, picking up that he wasn't totally himself yet.

"Shiemi! Nii-san! Nee-san! What happened?" Yukio yelled, running up to us with Mr. Tsubaki right behind him.

"Yuki-chan!" Shiemi said. "Rin's hurt! He needs first aid!"

"Hey, what about me?" I complained. "I was hurt, too." I pouted.

The Kurikara, wrapped back up in its cover, swung into my vision. "Yer slow, Yukio," Emo Kid said from his (her) position next to Rin. "Cause yer so slow I was forced to make my move." Rin hesitantly took the Kurikara from Emo Kid and he (she) stepped forward.

"It…It can't be…" Yukio said, looking like he'd just been hit with a ton of bricks.

"Long time no see," Emo Kid said, giving Yukio a crooked grin.

"Who the hell are you, anyway?" I grumbled.

Emo Kid gave me a look. "Good question, kid. Well, whatever. I've gotten tired of looking like this." She began to strip, taking off the black hoodie and unraveling a long piece of cloth that covered her massive breasts. What I thought had been a possible male emo kid had actually been a whore with long red and yellow hair. She only wore a bra for a top, her tattoos on her stomach and between her boobs showing. "I'm Shura Kirigakure, an upper first class Exorcist." She tossed the hoodie and piece of cloth aside. "I was dispatched by the True Cross Vatican Headquarters to investigate the existence of the Japanese Branch's 'risk factors.' I'm a senior inspector."

"Aw, shit," I said.


	13. Chapter 12

"A Senior First Class Inspector?" Mr. Tsubaki asked, giving me a look for my language.

"Yeah, here's my license and my patch," the woman said, pulling out an ID-like card at a heart-shaped piece of metal and glass that had a point on the end.

"I see…these certainly prove it," Mr. Tsubaki said, looking closely at the ID-like card. "I'm Middle First Class Exorcist Kaori Tsubaki."

"Ah, it's fine," the inspector said, waving him off. "It was a little difficult because of his weakness. Anyhow, I'll be taking these two to the Japanese Branch Headquarters." She jerked her thumb at me and Rin.

"Hold on, what?" I asked, stepping back a little. Damn, we were in trouble.

"Afterwards, I'd like to have a talk with the Branch Manager, Mephisto, so please take me to him," she continued, ignoring me except for giving me a small look that told me to stay put or else. I gulped and did as the look said. "All the other Exorcists are to return to their dormitories."

"Y-Yes, ma'am," Yukio said somewhat shakily. I looked at him. Did he know her or something? If so, why was he nervous? Rin and I hadn't done anything wrong, had we?

The inspector woman turned to me and Rin. "C'mon, get up," she said to him, hooking her arm around his neck backwards. He struggled, not completely comfortable with having his face so close to her boobs. She hooked her fingers under my collar and began to drag us away. "I have something to say to you two."

"Um, excuse me," Shiemi said timidly. "Rin and Safaia are still injured…I can help take care of them—"

"Hm? Oh," Inspector-Lady said. "These guys are fine as they are. They just 'stink of milk,' don'tcha think?" She pulled us away again, Yukio and Tsubaki leading us all out of the park.

"Sensei!" I heard Ryuji call as we neared the entrance of the park.

"Everyone," Yukio began, "for the time being, today's mission is done. Please return to your dorms."

Inspector-Lady pulled me and Rin, who was saying he one who stunk of milk was her, into view and suddenly we became the center of attention. "What the hell is that guy…?" Ryuji asked before spotting me. I gave him a bewildered shrug and a pleading look for him to get me out of my predicament.

"Man, I'm jealous!" Renzo cried, still acting like a pervert.

"Renzo," Konekomaru sighed, frustrated over his friend's unbreakable flaws.

"Who is that girl?" Renzo asked, probably envisioning himself playing with her boobs.

"She's wearing the bottom half of the boys' uniform…maybe she's actually Yamada, who's always got his hood up?" Konekomaru theorized.

"Ehhhh?" Ryuji asked, staring at Inspector-Lady. "Anyway, what does she want with Safaia and Okumura?"

I gave him a small wave as I was dragged away. He turned around and put his hand behind his back, giving me a funny wave. I smiled even though I was most likely in big trouble.

We followed Yukio around to a castle of the park that had a door in it. "Where you going?" Inspector-Lady asked. Yukio pulled out his set of keys. "Oh, I see. So ya haven't gone inside the base yet." Yukio didn't say anything, just opened the door and we all stepped through.

I gaped. The place was huge! There was a concrete walkway with old designs on it, probably from Italy or maybe Greece. Water lined the walkway on either side, and just past it were some ancient pillars with arches. We stood on a circle of concrete that branched off in front of us and two different ways behind us. The door we had just come through stood smack in the center of the circle.

"This place is the center of the Order of the True Cross," Inspector-Lady explained as she took the lead, heading to the door at the end of the concrete walkway. "The Japanese Branch's base is hidden below True Cross Academy, and the Vatican Headquarters are under St. Peter's Cathedral.

"Officially, we don't exist," she continued as we passed through the door and into another room similar to the one we'd just left. This one's walkway split in two directions into an oval with a silk banner that said "Japan" hanging from the ceiling. "We're just an international organization with branches all around the world. We have a long history. We've carried the burden of exterminating monsters all over the world for over two thousand years now."

"That's right," a familiar smooth-talking voice joined in. I peered around to see Mephisto standing in front of us with Mr. Tsubaki just behind him. He was wearing his normal clown getup, minus the hat. A long purple curl of hair was on his head and was tipped in a yellow that clashed with the rest of his violet locks. "That is what we, the True Cross Order, do. It's been a long time, hasn't it, Shura." He spread his arms, as if anticipating a hug.

If Shura saw the offer, she didn't take it. Mephisto dropped his arms. "Now, don't tell me that you've snuck into our school as an inspector! I wasn't informed about this." He played as if he was hurt.

"Mephisto," Shura said in a slightly dangerous voice, "let me get right to the point. You're a bastard who's hiding Satan's kids without informing the Vatican. What in the hell are you scheming?"

"Don't be absurd, I'm not scheming anything!" Mephisto said, holding up his hands in the universal sign for peace. In my experience, if someone said that, they probably were scheming. What a fat liar. "While it's true I'm hiding them, everything is in the best interest of the Order. I'm raising Satan's children to become weapons for the Order!"

Say what?

I gawked at my principal. So that was why he was letting us live? What a bastard! There was no way I was going to become a weapon for anybody!

"In these last two thousand years," the smooth-talking clown was continuing, "we Exorcists have only fought a defensive war. Now we have the chance to take the battle to the frontlines, with these two leading the way!"

"Even so, you must still consult with the top before doing anything, right?" Shura asked, still not letting go of me and Rin. I felt sorry for my brother. It probably wasn't comfortable being wedged between and arm and its pit. It was probably real sweaty now.

"In an ideal world, at the very least," Mephisto said, blowing off the question.

"…Were Shiro Fujimoto and Chinatsu Tottori involved in this?"

I perked up at the mention of my mother's name. Mom, involved in this mess? I was still trying to get over the fact she had been and Exorcist.

"You can say that Shiro was," Mephisto said after a pause. "Until the power of the flames gained strength, Fujimoto was raising the boys. Chinatsu didn't come into play until the special request of the triplets' mother. In fact, Fujimoto had no clue of the girl's whereabouts, and I only found out through interrogating Chinatsu. She and her husband were the ones charged with the girl's care."

Charged? It sounded as if Mom and Dad were forced to take me in. But they hadn't been…had they?

"I see," Shura answered. "Whichever the case is, I'll need to report to the higher ups. Before that, I'd like to interrogate these two." She jiggled my collar roughly and moved her other arm, making Rin rub his face against her side and me shake around a little. "I'll be using the Great Cell." That did not sound good.

Mephisto chuckled. "You'll be sure to have fun with them," he assured. He gave her a sly look.

"You bastard, always playing it calm," she said, returning the sly grin over her shoulder as she hauled me and Rin off. "Don't regret this later."

"Shura, please, wait!" Yukio called, running after us. "It's pointless to interrogate my brother and sister. Please, let me instruct them instead!"

"Though the frame has changed," Shura said, leaning back to Yukio, "that place is still the same, isn't it?"

I gave her a mystified look as Yukio's face turned to a little bit of surprise and recognition. She pulled me and Rin along again. "Anyhow, good work today, go home and get some rest," she called. I think she would've waved but she had her hands full, so to speak.

"Shura!" Yukio called helplessly. He sighed and gave me a sorry look as we rounded a corner, apologizing for not saving me and Rin from this woman's wrath.

She dragged us into a big, concrete room with a humungous door and high ceiling. She let us go and we backed up away from her. "On the way here, you two were so docile it's like you were borrowed cats," she said as she locked the door. Rin said nothing. I bared my teeth.

"Are you a friend of Dad's and Yukio's?" Rin asked.

Shura chuckled a little. "You could say that," she said. "I was Shiro Fujimoto's student." She looked at me. "Your mom, Chinatsu, and I knew each other pretty well, too. We would get paired up on missions together a lot."

"Wait a minute, that old man of mine had a student?" Rin yelped.

"That was two years before you three were born," Shura said, looking down in memories. "I was scraping by every day, barely keeping myself alive…and then that man came and rescued me." She turned her back to us. "But that was a long time ago," she said dismissively. Suddenly she grunted and fell to her knees, clutching her shoulder.

Rin jumped forward. "What's wrong, did you get hurt earlier?" he asked sincerely, looking over her "bad" shoulder.

"Rin, wait it's a tra—" I began as she said, "It's none of your damn business," and snatched the Kurikara out of his hands.

"You idiot," she said, jumping back so she was out of both our reaches. "I can't believe you fell for that. What is this now, the second time? Just how many times are you going to keep giving this away as a present? At least your sister saw the trap and had the sense to stay back. You should listen to her more often."

I growled and leapt at her, grasping for the sword. She twirled away from me to the other side of the room. "That's none of your damn business!" Rin yelled, charging her. Flames erupted from him, a dark look coming over his face. Shura looked shocked and even a little scared. Rin swiped for his sword but she jumped back, bumping into my waiting arms. I grabbed for the sword, but she moved it out of my reach and managed to snatch one of my knives from my side. I snarled and dove for my dagger, but she jumped over both of us and danced her way to the other side of the room. "Yatsu hime wo kurau…" she chanted. "Nada wo tatsu!" A sword hilt appeared from the tattoo between her boobs and she pulled it out. It was the same sword she had earlier. I had wondered where it went.

Rin and I froze. We'd seen her work with a sword. There was no doubt she was a master. "W-Why would my dad's student point my sword at me?" Rin cried, stunned at the shamelessness of it. I snorted. The dishonor!

"As Inspector First Class from the Vatican HQ, I am following secret orders," she explained. "On the day Shiro died, 'Shiro Fujimoto, Chinatsu Tottori and the Japanese Branch Manager, Mephisto Pheles, were conspiring together. Ever since the Blue Night sixteen years ago, they'd been associating with Satan and hiding some sort of ability. Investigate what that is, and also, if you conclude that it was something associated with Satan, you are ordered to eliminate it immediately.' That's what they told me."

"Eliminate!" Rin gasped. I ground my teeth together. Shit. We were fucked.

I absently reached for my last dagger. It was a bad idea, but…if it meant we would live…

But that life would be one of running. One of hiding, of fear and pain and misery. We'd never return to this life or our lives before this. We would always be one the run, until…until we died. Did I want that? No. Did Rin? Probably not. Why not let it end here, quick and most likely almost painless? I dropped my hand from my dagger.

"I've just confirmed your blue fire with my own eyes," Shura told Rin. She turned to me. "I haven't seen yours yet, though, so you're free to go." She twirled my dagger on her finger and tossed it to me. I saw it would fall short and dove to catch it, but it clattered to the floor and knocked it out of the casing, my own flames coming out. "Oops, my bad, I guess you're not." She got into a pose, holding her sword above her head. The Kurikara was still in its case, slung over her shoulder. "As ordered, elimination is now possible, so I'm going to kill you. It's a student's duty to clean up their master's messes."

I scooped up my dagger and jumped to my feet, drawing my other one and tossing it to Rin. He caught it but protested, "Kill us? Wait! Wait!"

I shook my head. Idiot! Why wait? She was going to kill us! No use in protesting!

_Don't you want to die?_ A nagging voice asked me. _Just a minute ago you were fine with it._

_And I'm fine with it now_, I told it. _I just want to go down fighting. No way am I just gonna lie down like a dog and let her kill me. Tottori women fight to the death._

_But you're an Okumura now,_ the voice said. _You have no idea what an Okumura woman is like._

_But I was raised as a Tottori, so a Tottori I will be, bitch. Now shut up, I have to fight._

"Kirigakure ryuu-makengi," Shura chanted. "Dabou!" She sliced her sword at us, sending deadly-looking currents of wind at us. Rin and I dodged to opposite sides, the attacks going past us and hitting the wall, leaving six-inch deep marks.

Shura kept after Rin, momentarily forgetting about me. As she swung more air currents at Rin, I crept along the edge of the room, trying to sneak around behind her.

I winced as she almost caught Rin with an air current. At last minute he dove out of the way, rolling to his feet. She barely gave him enough time to dodge each attack. _Damn, she's good!_ I thought as I got closer. _Just who the hell is she? This is completely different from when she was battling Amaimon earlier and totally stronger!_

When I was just ten feet from her, one of her attacks caught Rin and sent him into the wall. She whirled at a speed I thought was impossible and glared at me. "Don't think I forgot about you," she said, and whipped an attack at me. I was too stunned to do anything, so her attack caught me in my middle and slammed me against the wall behind me. She grabbed my collar and chucked me over next to Rin, my breath leaving me in a _whoosh_ as I hit the ground.

Shura jumped on top of us, using her legs to pin us down. "You…" she growled, bringing her sword up to slit our throats, "you senile old fool! You put all your faith in the power of Satan and ran from the battles!" She sounded more like she was talking to herself or to her memories instead of us. "And you, Chinatsu, you actually thought that you could hide this girl? You thought that if you quit your job and raised her, everything would be all hunky-dory? You two were the absolute biggest cowards in the history of the True Cross! _The absolute worst Paladin and Arc Knight!_" She slashed her sword down.

My hand shot up and caught the sword blade, Rin's hand doing the same a little bit further from mine. "You're wrong," Rin said, looking her straight in the eye. "My father died protecting me! He was no coward!"

"And my mother is the furthest thing from a coward!" I snapped. "Do you know how often I was attacked by demons when I was a kid? She fought every single one of them off and still had the strength to stand! She almost had to give her life for me!" Memories of Mom getting rid of the different monsters on the playground in the park during different times flooded me. All sorts of demons, little ones and big ones and seriously powerful ones. Mom had gotten rid of every single one of them by just saying a few words. How had I not realized she had been an Exorcist before?

Shura stared at us. "They were cowards," she said again.

"We'll prove they weren't," Rin said, still struggling to keep the sword away from our throats.

"What are you gonna do?" she asked.

"I'm going to become a Paladin," Rin growled.

"And I'm gonna be an Arc Knight and the first recorded Rogue in two hundred years," I snapped. "If we can become the ultimate Exorcists, then Mom and Father Fujimoto will be proven right by letting us live."

Shura smiled.

She yanked her blade out of our hands and flipped it so the sharp end was pointed up. "Kirigakure ryuu makengi, gara gara!" she cried. A black mist escaped from the funny little circles that ran along her blade.

"A Paladin and Arc Knight, huh?" she asked, still holding her sword above us. "Don't make me laugh, you brats." She chuckled. Then laughed, stepping back off of me and Rin, holding her stomach in her mirth. "Shiro and Chinatsu," she said as she winded down, "did you like Shiro and Chinatsu?"

"That…that's not it!" Rin protested.

"And Mom's still alive, stupid!" I snapped.

Shura chuckled. "For the time being, I'll look after these," she said, grabbing my daggers and putting them in Rin's sword case. She pushed her own sword back into her tattoo and the sword case after it. "If you were to hold onto them, you two would become toys for Amaimon." She looked at us steadily. "If you want them back, then get stronger," she told us. "When you can beat me, you can have them back. But not before then. And you had better prove them right!"

I gave her a confident smirk. "Don't worry," I said, standing up and dusting myself off. "We will." I held out a hand to Rin. He took it and pulled himself up. "Come on, let's get out of here," I said, looking at Shura. "I'm missing out on my study time."

* * *

><p>I headed out to the trees, my bag with my books slung across my shoulder. I was walking quickly. It was almost supper time and I hoped Ryuji was waiting for me in the trees, studying deeply like he was prone to do. I tripped over a tree root and cursed, kneeling down to readjust my shoe back onto my foot.<p>

"Ryuji!" I called as I entered our study spot. "You still here, Ryuji-chan?"

He looked up from his position against an oak. "Hey, Safaia," he said, stretching his sore muscles. "What time is it?"

"Almost supper time," I said, sitting down next to him. "You suck at keeping track of time when you're studying, you know that?"

He grinned and wrapped an arm around me. "Yeah, but that's what you're here for," he said. "You're the one with the watch and the built-in supper sensor."

I nudged his ribs playfully. "Only because you'd skip every meal of your life just to study," I said. He grunted and looked mournfully down at his papers. "It's too late to catch the tail end of supper, isn't it?" he asked. I nodded and grabbed his stuff, shoving it in his bag. "But if you ask very nicely, I'm sure Rin will make you something," I said, handing him his bag.

He gave me a disgusted look. "I think not," he said, taking his bag. "I'd rather starve than ask your brother for anything. I do have my pride, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "Pride will get you so far in life," I said sarcastically. I sighed and started to lead him out of the forest.

"Safaia?" Ryuji asked, catching up to me easily. "What happened earlier today? How was Rin in trouble? And who the hell was that lady and what did she do to you?"

I stopped dead and looked down at my belt where my knives were supposed to be. Instead, there were wooden replicas that Shura had given me to practice with, like the wooden katana she'd given Rin. I gripped the hilt of one. The feel just wasn't the same. "I…the woman is Shura Kirigakure, an Inspector," I said, not looking up. "She…just wanted to talk to me and Rin."

Ryuji snorted. "How stupid do you think I am?" he asked. "Don't answer that." I snapped my mouth shut, bottling up the sarcastic retort. "I have a right to know, Safaia. If she hurt you in any way…"

"She didn't hurt me!" I cried. I bit my lip. "Look, Ryuji, I'd tell you anything, you know. Just…don't ask me this. Please. It…It'll cause more harm than good. I…I don't want to hurt you…" I broke down, sniffling back the tears that had sprung up. Damn it! I didn't want to cry, especially not in front of him. How was I supposed to tell him I was Satan's daughter without him hating me?

"Hey, hey, quit that!" he said, grabbing my shoulders. "Look, I'm sorry, ok? You don't have to tell me, ok? Just stop crying already! I can't stand it when people cry." He pulled me into an awkward hug.

I gave a hysterical giggle. "Ok, I'll stop," I said, wiping my face. "You're cute when you freak out."

"You think I'm cute when I freak out?" he said, pushing me back so he could see my face. "Maybe I should do it more often…"

I felt my face go red. "That's not what I meant!" I cried. "I mean, yeah, you're cute when you freak out, but I don't want you to do it all the time!"

He laughed. "Relax, Safaia-chan. I'm just teasing." I felt my face get redder. Without saying a word I turned and stormed off, leaving him laughing and running to catch up with me as we made our way back to our dorms.

* * *

><p>"I've transferred from the Vatican Headquarters to the Japanese Branch. I'm Shura Kirigakure. Nice to meet you," Shura said, introducing herself as our new Magic Circles and Seals teacher. "Whatever happens, let's have fun these next two and a half months of training, ok?" She started to laugh while Konekomaru, Ryuji, Shiemi, and I sat in stunned silence. You could practically see the hearts emanating from Renzo, pervert that he is. It didn't help that Shura was only wearing a bra with an unbuttoned button up shirt, very short shorts, and fish nets that almost reached her shorts, not to mention she was sitting on top of her new desk.<p>

"Now then," Shura said, looking at a file. "For the time being we have Magic Circles, Sealing Techniques, and Sword Techniques too, what a pain in the ass! I'll be in charge of those. Let's have fun, now." She seemed to be talking more to herself than to us.

"Um, teacher?" Ryuji asked, raising his hand.

"Hm?" Shura looked up and pointed at him. "What is it, Suguro-kun?"

I saw him grimace for a second at the cutesy way she called on him. "Teacher…why had you taken an interest in us students?" he asked. "What happened to our former Magic Circles and Seals teacher, Mr. Neuhaus?"

"Ah, those are adult matters," Shura said nonchalantly, waving off the quiet questions the others were asking. "Kids not need worry about them, right?"

"Wha-What do you mean by that?" Ryuji protested, shocked at being called a kid.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" I said, leaning back in my chair. Shura shot me a deadly look. "Obviously, the higher ups think we're too stupid to get mixed up in their problems and are deliberately omitting us so they don't have to listen to a bunch of so-called kids being right when they were wrong. It boils down to them not wanting us to get swelled heads."

Ryuji blinked and Shura let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief. "Correct, Okumura-chan," she said, giving me a smile. "And as much as I'd like to tell you guys all this stuff so you could figure out our problems, I'm under strict orders—"

"Sorry I'm late," Rin said, stumbling into the class. "I kinda didn't get much sleep yesterday and somebody—" he shot me a glare "—didn't bother to wake me so I kinda slept through lessons a bit." I gave him a shrug. I _had_ tried to wake him this morning and so had Yukio. We just hadn't been as forceful as we needed to be. "I slept all the way through homeroom, too."

"Don't explain yourself, just come in," Shura said, waving him in. "I'm not mad."

Rin's eyes widened. "Eh? You're…it's you!" he cried, pointing at her.

"C'mon, it's fine," Shura said, ignoring his comment. "Just get in your seat already!"

Rin complied and took his usual seat next to Shiemi. "Rin! Are you ok?" she asked as her sat down.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," he said. He gave her a smile. "What's wrong?"

"…Nothing," she said. "I'm just glad you and Safaia are ok."

Ryuji nudged me. I had taken to sitting in front of him and Konekomaru. "Hey, Safaia," he said softly, but it was more to me and Konekomaru and Renzo. "Don't you think the atmosphere around him has changed kinda?"

"Really?" Konekomaru asked.

I shrugged. "Maybe a little," I said. Of course, I knew it had, but he masked it so well it was hard for the others to be able to detect anything.

"I wonder what happened to you guys," Renzo said, his eyes swimming with visions of Shura probably getting naked in front of him.

"Nothing you're thinking, I can guarantee," I said, wiping that debauchee grin off his face.

"Alright, everyone get together now," Shura said with authority. "We're starting lessons. Please read for me the chapter on earth divination from your Seal Academic primer. How about you, Mr. Late-to-Class Okumura!"

Rin grinned and clipped his hair back. "Umm…'since ancient times, earth divination has been in doc—docu—"

"Documents," Shura said for him.

"Same as always after all," Renzo said, shaking his head.

"Yep, no change at all," Ryuji said, looking back down into his primer.

I allowed myself a smirk into my primer and patted my wooden knife replacements. I couldn't wait to try them out in mine and Rin's spar tonight.

* * *

><p><strong>Review please! Especially if you want to see Safaia do a questionnaire and answer YOUR questions to her, too!<strong>


	14. Chapter 13

"Safaia-chan! Smile for the camera!" I looked up from my place in Mom's lap on the swing and gave Dad my biggest smile. We were at the park, my three-year-old hands wrapped around the chains of the swing with Mom's bigger ones holding mine onto it.

Suddenly a terrified look came over Dad's face and he said, "Chinatsu!" He scooped me up into his arms, dropping the camera. He clutched me to his chest, his fingers twined in my child-soft hair. I asked, "Daddy?"

"It's ok, Safaia," Dad said, pressing my face closer to his shoulder. No, forcing me. There was something I wasn't supposed to see. I could tell by his voice. It was forced to be calm. There was strain underneath, strain he was trying to hide. Even my three-year-old mind could hear it. I fought against his hand, peering over his shoulder with one wide eye to see Mom fighting a huge monster. It had one humongous paw on the swing set, another reaching for Mom, about to pick her up. Mom was defenseless.

I shrieked and forced my way out of Dad's arms. I dropped to the ground and ran up to the monster, screaming, "_Don't you touch my mommy!_" Blueness consumed my vision as the monster slowly turned its head toward me and grinned. It opened its mouth and a wall of fire emitted from its maw, turning the sand black. I batted away the fire and punched the monster with all my might. It made a low, throaty sound and reached to pick me up.

Suddenly the monster disappeared in a cloud of black dust just as its fingers wrapped around me. "Safaia!" Mom cried, running up to me and picking me up. "Don't you ever do that again! Do you hear me?" She shook me to get her point across.

"But-But the monster was about to eat you," I stammered, my three-year-old brain still processing what was happening.

"Don't you ever turn blue again!" Mommy shouted in my face and I looked down at my hands. Blue fire enveloped them, licking at my mother's clothes, singeing her hair and burning her skin, but she seemed immune to it.

"Chinatsu! Safaia!" Daddy cried, running up. He stopped short. "Oh…my…God…"

"Daddy?" I asked, reaching out a flamed hand to him.

He shook his head vigorously. "Oh my God," he said again, stepping back. He looked at Mommy. "I thought you said she'd never…"

Mommy's face was a grim line. "I thought so too, but Mephisto's promise wasn't secure like he said," she said, picking me up. I watched as the fire around me began to die away and I became sleepy. "Her flames may come back…"

My pudgy five-year-old fist, already covered in blood, smashed a girl my age's shoulder, sending her stumbling back and wailing her head off from the pain my adult-like strength inflicted. One of the teachers, Ms. Kojima, cried, "Safaia-chan, please stop!" I bellowed a five-year-old's bellow and threw the nearest object—a box of plastic cars for the boys—at her and the other adults, pelting them with toy rain to keep them back. "Tell _them_ to stop!" I shrieked, pointing at the bloody and bruised gang of boys and girls huddling in the corner, giving me fearful looks. "Tell them to stop calling me a demon!"

One brave—or stupid—girl stepped forward. She was the worst of the lot, a black eye forming, blood dripping from her nose, bruises all over her arms, and her wrist turned painfully at an odd angle. She was the one who'd started this. "You _are_ a demon," she proclaimed. "My mommy said so."

"Your mommy lied!" I shrieked, picking up a chair and chucking it at her.

She ducked and said, "My mommy doesn't lie!"

"SHE DOES!" I howled, running up and rearing back to punch her again. She didn't flinch away, just stared at me straight on, unafraid.

A hand grabbed my wrist and kept me from hitting her, my fist just inches from making her good eye a black one, too. "Safaia!" my mother's strong voice said. "What are you doing?"

"Mommy!" I cried. I jerked my hand away. "Stay back! She called me a demon!" I shoved Mom and reared back to punch the girl again.

Mom's hand grabbed mine again. I roared and punched her gut without thinking as she wrapped me close to her. I fought and struggled and screamed my anger, pitting my might against hers. She kept holding me tighter and tighter, like a snake until I couldn't breathe. Desperate for air, I wiggled my arm out from under hers and hit her right in the kidney, making her pitch forward in pain onto my small form.

Realizing finally what I'd done, I asked tentatively, "Mommy?"

"Safaia," Mom said through her pain. "Sweetheart, you can't keep doing this. You can't lose your temper every time someone says something that makes you mad. Do you understand, my little flame girl?"

I gulped back tears. "Mommy," I said, hugging her. I buried my face into her chest and sobbed. "I understand, Mommy."

* * *

><p>I gasped and bolted upright, clutching my frantic heart through my pajamas. God, what a nightmare. No, not a nightmare. Memories. I hugged myself and spotted my iPhone sitting on my nightstand next to my bed. I picked it up and unlocked it, dialing the number of the one person I needed to talk to right now.<p>

I called Mom.

* * *

><p>She picked up after two rings. "Hello?"<p>

I nearly lost it right there. "Hello? Mom?" I said.

"Safaia! Oh, baby, what's wrong?" That was it. Purely Mom. No "do you know what time it is?" No "you should be sleeping right now." No "I have an important thing tomorrow and I can't go looking like I didn't get enough sleep." She could just tell from my voice that was something was wrong. That was her first priority, not sleep, not her job, nothing like that. Something was wrong with her little girl and that was what she was going to take care of first.

"Nothing. Everything," I said. "I'm not making sense, am I?"

Mom laughed sleepily. "Not really," she said. "Is there something you want to talk about, sweetheart?"

Get it out. Say it. Ask her, damn it! "Mom…how long were you an Exorcist?"

Silence.

"Mom?"

"How did you find out?"

"Mephisto."

"Ah."

Silence again.

"Um, Mom, you don't have to tell me…"

"No, no, it's not that." She sighed. It hissed through the phone, sounding like white noise from a TV. "I was sure you'd find out eventually, going to True Cross and all. Safaia, I'm descended from a long line of Exorcists. My family was the first to keep the Rogue tradition going after it was banned two hundred years ago. Every child born into my family secretly trained to become a Rogue. I've been trained since I was a young child to hunt demons. I only gave it up when you came into my life."

"Oh. Did Dad know?"

"...Yes, he did. He didn't like finding out but once he learned the circumstances…"

"Circumstances?"

"All women in the Saito family, which is where I come from, are required to marry men with at least a demon temptaint."

"So Dad could actually…?"

"Yes, he could see demons. Safaia, sweetie, we wanted to raise you completely ignorant of your demon heritage. We wanted you to be a normal girl, honey. That's why we tried to convince you that the demons you saw were just your imagination. We thought that perhaps, as you got older, you'd ignore them." She sighed heavily again. "Your father took it too far, sometimes. I argued with him about it, but he just never seemed to understand. I think he was in permanent denial, after we had to move when you…you know."

I knew what she was talking about. "When I fried that whore in middle school with my flames." I had lost control for just a moment. That was all it took, a moment. I was angry enough and she had pissed me off enough that when I'd reached for her throat, the flames shot out of my hands and burned her severely. She'd had to go to the hospital. The doctors had said she'd never look the same way again. The police called it a freak accident. I called it losing control and giving that righteous whore what she deserved for picking on me and my friends.

"Yes, when you did that."

I rubbed my eyes with my free hand, absorbing all this information. "What was my mom like?" I asked.

Dead silence for a moment. Then, "She was beautiful. She had long black hair like yours and a smile that melted every heart it ever met. She could worm her way into your heart without even you knowing it. Or her, for that matter. She was the nicest person you would ever know, caring for everyone. She was strong, too. She worked five straight days with no sleep and barely any breaks just to help people dying from severe demon temptaint. She was a Doctor Meister, and a damned good one. When she found out she was pregnant…it didn't dampen her mood at all. She just plowed on, happy as ever, like you do when you set your thick skull to something." I smiled. That did sound like me, just a little. "You wouldn't think that she'd been carrying the children of Satan. I think, though, deep down, she knew you and your brothers would have to be killed once the Vatican found you out, even though nobody said anything. I think that's why she asked Shiro Fujimoto and me to take you three and separate you. During labor, she begged me to take you. She somehow knew she was going to have three children and that she wouldn't survive the birth. She said that maybe your powers would be suppressed for the time being, if you were all separated. I think she was going to line it up for someone to take one of the boys, too, so you'd all be in different places, but it didn't end up that way. Safaia, I did my best to keep her alive, I really did, but when she died right there, after naming all of you…" Mom went silent again before picking up her story. "Shiro and Mephisto showed up right after she died. I was so stricken that I wasn't even able to hide you so they wouldn't know that there were three of you. They took all of you, right from the arms of your mother, Shiro carrying the boys, Mephisto holding you. After I realized what had happened, I covered your mother with a sheet and took off after you. I was able to catch up and delay Mephisto and Shiro with some of my demons, not to mention all the ones that were swarming, looking for all of you. Satan was after you all that night, too. They set you down under a bush to hide you while they fought. I found you with your brothers and grabbed just you. I thought about taking the boys, but I didn't. I'm not sure why."

I sighed in relief. I hadn't been forced on Mom and Dad. Mom had taken me of her own free will.

"Safaia, honey, I've got to go now. I have a presentation tomorrow morning."

"Ok Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, my little flame girl. Bye."

"Bye." She hung up.

I slowly moved my iPhone down from my ear and hit the button. I stared blankly at the screen for a few minutes, unsure what to do next. Today had been the last day of the semester. Tomorrow, while all the normal students went home for summer break, the Exwires were going on some training camp that Yukio and Shura were leading.

_Here I come!_ I heard in my mind. I pulled back my curtain and peeked outside my window. Kuro and Rin were practice fighting again, or "playing" as the cat sith called it. I sighed. Couldn't they let it go for just one night?

Groaning, I grabbed my knives and opened the window, watching my hellhounds slowly wake up as the soft, tangy rain-scented breeze floated into my room, their noses involuntarily twitching.

_Fight tonight?_ Koinu asked sleepily, staggering up and jumping on the bed. Izanami clambered up and shoved past him, repeating his question, but in a more dignified way. _Is there a fight tonight?_ My little queen.

"Yep," I said softly. I helped Shoki, who was the smallest, get on my bed. "Rin and Kuro are fighting. You don't want to be left out, do you?" I smiled at their grumbles that no, they didn't want to be left out.

Izanami put her front paws on the window sill and sniffed the air. _Let's go,_she commanded the boys, jumping out the window onto the balcony attached to the room below mine. The boys quickly followed her example.

_Plan Six,_ I told Izanami silently as she prowled along the balcony, sniffing out good hiding spots for her and the boys in the darkness. _Let Kuro know._

_Acknowledged,_ she replied, nosing the guys and relaying the commands to them. She looked up at Kuro and told him the plan as he continued to fight Rin.

Smiling to myself, I grabbed the sill above me, and while doing my best to ignore the height, pulled myself up until I could reach the window above me. Planting my feet firmly on my window's sill and holding onto the sill above me, I turned around so I was facing the Academy and pressed my back to the wall of the dorm, hoping that the shadows from the balcony another floor above would hide my presence from my brother. A light breeze made my hair tickle my nose and I did my best not to sneeze as Rin swung by, being chased by Kuro, who spotted me and gave me a knowing wink.

_Here I come again, Rin!_ Kuro cried.

"Bring it!" he yelled, spinning around and whipping his wooden sword at the cat sith, only to have Izanami's giant teeth around it as soon as he'd turned.

"What the—" was all he was able to say before still-puppy-size Shoki and Koinu slammed him from behind, making him pitch off the roof and back to me.

"Yargh!" I howled as I let jumped from my position and tackled Rin feet-first in midair, making us fall to the balcony my hellhounds had been hiding on. "Learn to expect the unexpected, Nii-san!" I said, grabbing his head and forcing it back down onto the concrete of the balcony.

"Take your own advice, stupid," he said, turning his head to give me a devilish look.

Before I could wonder about what he said, something grabbed me by the collar of my flannel pajamas and lifted me into the air. _Sorry, Safaia, but Rin promised me sukiyaki!_ Kuro said as he threw me onto the roof. _And Rin's cooking is yummy!_

"You damn traitor," I growled, grinning as I rolled to my feet. "Shoki! Izanami!"

_Right!_ The two demon dogs grew until they were about two thirds of Kuro's size while Koinu shrank down until he could fit into my palm. I picked him up and put him down my shirt, having no other place to put him. Shoki and Izanami distracted Kuro as Rin clambered back up on the roof. "It's just you and me now," Rin said, brandishing his practice sword.

"So it would seem," I said, holding my knives at my waist. "The usual wager?"

"Fine, but how about a time limit this time?" I asked. "If I win in five minutes, we go back to bed and you have to get yourself up this morning, plus make me the breakfast of my choice, and if you win in five minutes, we fight again and I have to get you up, plus add another hundred thousand yen to your credit card limit."

"Deal," he said, and charged.

* * *

><p>I yawned and stretched as I followed Rin down the front steps of the Academy. "Damn, I'm tired," I muttered as my hellhounds trotted happily at my heels. They were looking forward to camp. I double checked my bag to make sure I had enough dog treats to last three days. Yup, I was fine.<p>

"Why are you complaining? You won last night," Rin said. "I'm the one who got up earlier than normal." He looked up to the sky thoughtfully. "You know, I finally made it through a semester of school without any major problems."

"Other than all the detention you had," I commented. "But yeah, I know what you mean."

"Rin! Safaia!" a familiar voice called. We turned around to see Konekomaru, Renzo, and Ryuji coming down the steps behind us.

"Hey, Konekomaru!" Rin replied, waving. "Sup, guys?"

"Hey boys," I said, kneeling down to pet Izanami.

"This is the first time we've met outside of class," Konekomaru said as they caught up with us.

"Once the closing ceremony is done, we have to assemble at True Cross Halfway Station," Ryuji said. "Want to come along with us?"

"Sure," I said.

"Great!" Renzo said. "Be sure to sit next to me during the ceremony, Safaia-chan!" He smiled and tried to loop his arm around my shoulder. I elbowed him in the gut and said without thinking, "I have a boyfriend, you know."

That made everybody stop short. I saw Ryuji tense as Rin asked, "You do?"

"Err, yeah," I said, my face turning a little pink. "Just some guy who went to my old school. We dated for a while." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ryuji relax. "We broke up, but he hasn't really gotten the memo, you know? He's too held up on me and I'm thinking maybe we could still date. I was hoping to go visit him this summer but with the training camp and all…"

"Man, what a lucky guy!" Renzo said. "Oh well. There's other fish in the sea for me!"

"You unfaithful bastard," I grinned, poking his ribs again. "Talk about an immoral monk. You're thinking of Ms. Kirigakure, aren't you?"

"With those magnificent boobs, what man wouldn't?" he said, spacing off. "Oh man, what I wouldn't give to have a better peek at those."

"You mean her with just her bra and short shorts on isn't enough?" I asked. "That is her usual outfit, after all."

"Hell, no! I want it all!" he said, practically drooling.

"Please don't encourage him, Safaia," Konekomaru said, shaking his head at his daydreaming friend. "It's bad enough he chases after women our own age."

"What do you mean? She's pretty close to our age, I'd say. She's eighteen, isn't she?" Rin said. We all looked at him. "What?"

"Never mind," Konekomaru said. He looked around at all the normal students filing past us. "During summer vacation all the normal students will be heading back home." He actually sounded kind of wistful.

"You guys are from Kyoto, right?" Rin asked. "I want to go there one day. It's kind of a posh place, isn't it?"

"Whaddya mean 'posh?'" Ryuji asked, drawing level with me. "It's pretty normal."

"Come on, you bunch of idiots!" Izumo called from all the way at the bottom of the steps. "You're gonna be late if you don't hurry up! Why don't you drop the dead weight Okumuras and get down here!"

"Shut up, Thick Brows!" Ryuji yelled back.

"Screw my good record," I snapped, storming down to her. "That bitch just pissed me off." I rolled up the sleeves of my uniform, my hellhound pack prowling down after me, teeth bared and snarling at all who got too close.

"Safaia! You don't want to ruin your first good record, do you?" Rin asked, grabbing my arm. Shoki grabbed his ankle between his teeth but Rin ignored him.

"Just let it go, Safaia," Konekomaru said, giving the demon dogs a wary look. Koinu growled at him. "The semester will be over once the closing ceremony is done. Then you can fight Izumo without any problems on your record."

I glared down at Izumo, who was tapping her foot, still waiting for us. "Fine," I growled. "Just make sure she and I aren't sitting close together. I hope she'll sit far enough away from me so I won't have to hear her damn voice." They all promised that they'd make sure to keep Izumo as far away from me as possible. Renzo even offered to flirt with her. "That always seems to drive her off anyway," he said, laughing along with the rest of us.

Ryuji nudged me and whispered in my ear, "We need to talk. Like, now." I gave a small nod to show him I heard and said to the others, "You guys go on ahead real quick. I'm gonna wait outside a little to cool off."

"I'll wait with you," Renzo offered quickly. "I don't want you out here all by your lonesome."

"Nah, it's cool, I'll wait with her," Ryuji said, handing his bag to Konekomaru. "I'd rather not go in just yet either. Save us some seats, ok?"

"Ok," Konekomaru promised, ushering Rin and Renzo inside while Ryuji and I continued to walk over to a nearby bench.

"So what do you want to talk about, Ryuji-chan?" I asked, plopping down on the bench.

"We need to tell them, Safaia," he said, crossing his arms.

"Tell them?" I asked.

"You saw what almost happened back there," he said. "They almost found out about us. We're just lucky you're good at cover stories. And I'm damn tired of Renzo flirting with you. You're my girl, damn it! He won't dare touch you if he knows that you're with me."

I felt my chest swell a little at being called his girl. I sighed. "I'm not arguing," I said, looking down. "We do need to tell them, but I'm not sure when or how. Look, if an opportunity arises, we'll tell them, ok?"

He thought for a minute before saying, "Ok. Let's go. The ceremony's almost started." He took my hand and led me to the tent, quickly dropping it just before we went inside.

We were able to spot our friends pretty soon and found Shiemi with them and Takara a few rows back.

"So have you cooled down enough?" Rin asked as I took my seat next to him and Ryuji took the empty seat on my left.

"Yeah," I said, glaring down the row at Izumo. She sniffed and crossed her arms, glaring down at the heads below us.

"Shh, it's starting," Konekomaru said and we all shut up and suffered through a half hour of good-byes from the Student Council.

"Well, that's thirty minutes of my life I won't be getting back," I said, yawning again as we left the outdoor auditorium. Seriously, True Cross had an outdoor auditorium, plus another one inside. Why, I don't know.

"Here, here," Renzo said, stretching. "I can't believe they gathered us all together for thirty minutes just to say goodbye. The Council Head took fifteen minutes with his speech! At least the principal kept it short. His was under thirty seconds."

"Can you imagine what the graduation speeches are going to be like?" I asked. We both shuddered.

Izumo rolled her eyes. "Come on, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, we've got teachers to meet," she said with her usual haughty air and stalked off.

"Easy, Safaia," Rin said, grabbing my arm as I headed off to destroy the bitch again.

"Please, wait until there's no one but us Exwires around, if you must fight," Konekomaru begged. "Otherwise you might get kicked out of school."

I hissed through my teeth. "Fine, but three strikes and she's out of orbit, got it?" They all nodded and we walked to the station.

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><p>"Everybody's going to have a fun summer break from today, right!" Yukio said cheerily once we'd all gathered at the True Cross Halfway Station like we were supposed to. "However," he continued, smashing my hopes that we wouldn't go on a field trip and I could go home to see my mom. "All the Exwires will now be participating in a forest training camp. You shall all do combat in the Academy's forest section for three days. Ms. Kirigakure and I'll be leading the camp."<p>

"Yoo-hoo," Shura said, giving us all a small wave.

"The focus of the first half of the training camp will be strength training, and the second stage will be a series of tests to see if you are ready to partake in actual missions," Yukio explained. "This forest training camp will also serve as a test, so let's brace ourselves and go!"

"All right!" we all said in a militaristic fashion.

Yukio doled out heavy camping packs to each of us, showing us how to strap on our sleeping bags that Shura passed out. "Just use the clips built onto the top of the backpack," he instructed. "They should fit around the sleeping bag." Once everybody had their packs ready, he handed us two water bottles each and led us into the forest.

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><p>We marched for an hour before anybody started complaining. "I don't feel like an Exorcist," Ryuji panted from his place near the back of the line. "I feel more like one of those marching soldiers."<p>

"It's so hot and my bag's so heavy," Renzo cried.

"I'm exhausted," Konekomaru groaned.

"There's so many mosquitos," Izumo commented, slapping one of the offending bugs.

"How can you guys be tired?" I asked, turning around. I spotted Shiemi tagging all the way behind, Shura next to her. It was Shura's job to stay back with any lagers while Yukio led the expedition to camp. I let the others pass me and asked my friend kindly, "Do you want me to carry our backpack for you?"

"Oh! No! I couldn't possibly—I mean, it'd be too much trouble—" she stammered.

"It's fine," I said. "Here, just slip off the bag—Shura, help me strap it onto mine, while you?"

"Here ya go," my teacher said, clipping Shiemi's bag to mine. "That should do it."

I shifted my shoulders under the new weight, adjusting to it. "There, is that better, Shiemi?" I asked, handing her my water bottle. She nodded gratefully as she drank. "I'll take it back in a minute," she said, handing me my water.

"Nonsense," I said. "You're exhausted. I'll carry it to camp. Don't worry about it, ok?"

She nodded and I ran to catch up with the boys, grabbing a spider I spotted along the way. "Hey guys, wait for me!"

They turned and stopped, gazing at me with awe at my doubled load. "Holy crap," Ryuji muttered. "You are insane."

"Hey Renzo, catch!" I said, throwing the spider at the entomophobiac.

He shrieked—literally shrieked—and yelled, "Get it off, get it off!" He frantically brushed his shirt to get the offending arachnid off, dancing around.

I cackled. "That sure did give you energy, huh?" and plucked the spider off the back of his shirt. "There you go, little guy," I said as I placed it back on a tree. "Sorry to disturb you." It scampered off.

"Ooo! A waterfall!" Rin cried from farther up. I looked up to see a little waterfall on the side of our path, coming from a large boulder next to the path. "I wonder if it's ok to drink from it?"

"Should be," I said, coming up and cupping my hands under it. "Damn, that's cold!" I lifted my hands to my lips and sipped. "Oh, that makes my teeth hurt!" I slipped off the packs and shoved my head under the water, shaking it to cool off. I pulled back and gasped for air. "Man that feels good!" I said, wringing out my dripping hair. "You guys try it! It'll cool you down!"

Renzo tried it first as I pulled my packs back on. "Whoa, that does feel good!" he said cupping his hands under and getting a quick drink. "And the water tastes great, too! Bon, Koneko, you've got to try this!"

Ryuji and Koneko tried it too, both feeling a lot better afterwards. "Not gonna try it, Eyebrows?" I asked as Izumo stalked past without so much as looking at the waterfall.

"Anything you do can damage brain cells," Izumo said.

"And we all know how precious few you have to spare," I shot back.

Renzo laughed. "You walked right into that one, Izumo-chan," he said. Ryuji smirked and Konekomaru shook his head even though he was fighting back a grin.

She turned and glared at me, opening her mouth to say something. She stood there for a moment, mouth agape, before she shut it again and huffed off. I smirked and said, "Come on guys, let's get to camp."


	15. Safaia Questionnaire!

**Been planning on putting this up for a while but haven't had the time...just a little somethin for you guys to enjoy while I work on the next chapter, which I hope to have up soon. Hope you like it!**

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><p><strong>Safaia: Ok, so Max talked me into this. She said I…Do I really have to do this?<strong>

**Max: Yes, you do. Now introduce it!**

**Safaia: Ok, ok, fine. So I have to pick ten people and then answer the questions. Oh, and she says that if…wait a minute, wait a minute! Max, I'm supposed to answer any questions that they have in the Reviews?**

**Max: Yup, Safaia. You have to answer their questions, plus these ones. Hahaha!**

**Safaia: 0.o My creator/writer/overlord is scary…anyway, on with the questionnaire.**

1. Ryuji

2. Amaimon

3. Rin

4. Mephisto

5. Yukio

6. Renzo

7. Izumo

8. Shura

9. Shiemi

10. Konekomaru

**What would you do if…**

**1 woke you up in the middle of the night?**

(1. Ryuji) "Ryuji-chan, what the hell are you doing in my room? I know you love me but…this is getting stalker-ish."

**2 asked you to go out with him?**

(2. Amaimon) "Um…aren't you kind of like my older brother or something?"

**3 walked into the bathroom while you're showering?**

(3. Rin) I'd punch him in the face and say "Dear God Rin give your sis some privacy! I mean I know we're triplets but still…!"

**4 announced he's going to marry 9 tomorrow?**

(4. Mephisto) (9. Shiemi) First, I'd kick his ass while screaming "PEDO!" Then I'd drag Shiemi away from him.

**5 cooked you dinner?**

(5. Yukio) Eat it, I guess. He's not as great a cook as Rin but he's better than me, that's for sure.

**7 suddenly confessed to be part of your family?**

(7. Izumo) "Aw shit I'm related to you now, too? What are we, a dysfunctional family of Satan's quadruplets?"

**6 was lying next to you on the beach, sleeping?**

(6. Renzo) I'd grab a marker and draw all over him. Then bury him in sand. Maybe I could get Ryuji and Konekomaru to help…I'm pretty sure Izumo and Rin would. At least I wouldn't have to watch him flirt with all the girls on the beach or keep him off of me.

**8 got into the hospital somehow?**

(8. Shura) Shura? In the hospital? Fuck. We're all screwed.

**9 made fun of your friends?**

(9. Shiemi) I could never see her making fun of someone. She's more the type to get made fun of. And she's my friend, anyway.

**10 ignored you all the time?**

(10. Konekomaru) Ignore him back. He don't wanna talk, fine.

**Two serial killers are hunting you down. What will 1 do?**

(1. Ryuji) Protect me cuz he loves me.

**You're on a vacation with number 2 and manage to break your leg. What does 2 do?**

(2. Amaimon) Ask me what it's like to break a leg. That or keep fighting me. Wait, why is he on vacation with me anyway?

**It's your birthday. What will 3 give you?**

(3. Rin) A Christmas cake because he doesn't know the difference between that and a birthday cake. It'll still taste good, though, since we'll share it with Yukio because we all have the same birthday. Duh, we're triplets.

**You're stuck in a house that's on fire. What does 4 do?**

(4. Mephisto) Sit back and wait for me to get out myself.

**You're about to do something that'll make you feel extremely embarrassed. What will 5 do?**

(5. Yukio) Probably stop me from doing it because if I'm doing something that'll embarrass me it'll embarrass him just because he's related to me.

**You're about to marry number 10. What's 6's reaction?**

(10. Konekomaru) (6. Renzo) Ok, I thought I've stated already but I'm with RYUJI. But, if I should marry little Koneko-san, I think Shima would have a heart attack because Konekomaru actually got a girl. I mean, the guy's so timid! I sincerely doubt he will ever have a girlfriend in the near future.

**You got dumped by someone. How will 7 cheer you up?**

(7. Izumo) I don't think she'd care much. She's too much of a bitch. Hell, she might even start dating him.

**You're angry about it afterwards, how does 8 calm you down?**

(8. Shura) Help me go kick Ryuji's ass. And then Izumo's.

**Y****ou compete in some tournament. How does 9 support you?**

(9. Shiemi) By cheering me on and healing my injuries. Not that she'd probably know how to cheer me on…oh well. It's the thought that counts, right? And I'd probably need those healings.

**You can't stop laughing. What will 10 do?**

(10. Konekomaru) Ask me what's wrong/what's so funny and probably not get the joke cuz he's such a bookworm.

**1 is all you've ever dreamed of. Why?**

(1. Ryuji) He is all I've ever dreamed of! I'm going out with the man, jeez. I love him, I even admitted it! This questionnaire is stupid.

**2 tells you about his deeply hidden love for number 9. Your reaction?**

(2. Amaimon) (9. Shiemi) Amaimon and Shiemi? Hmm…I guess it would be ok, for a little while. He'd probably see her more as a plaything though, not something to love. Can demons love? Oh wait, stupid question. Never mind.

**You're dating number 3 and introduce him to your parents. Will they get along?**

(3. Rin) EEEEWWWWW I'M DATING MY OWN BROTHER? GROSS! And besides my dad's dead and I don't see my mom anymore since I've gone to True Cross Academy. I still need to ask her about her knives…

**4**** loves number 9 as well. What does that mean?**

(4. Mephisto) (9. Shiemi) I thought I already answered this question, but to reiterate, I'd kick his ass while screaming "PEDO!" and then drag Shiemi away from him.

**Will number 5 and 6 ever kiss?**

(5. Yukio) (6. Renzo) Renzo is not gay. Period. He flirts with girls too much to be even slightly gay. The jury's still out on Yukio, but I don't think he's gay either. I think he likes Shura, even though you'd have to kill him to get him to admit it. So they won't ever kiss.

**6 appears to be a player, he breaks many hearts. What do you do?**

(6. Renzo) Um, he is a player! I'm already trying to keep him off of me. I'm Ryuji's girl, dammit! Stupid flirts…but if he breaks any of my friends' hearts, he is so dead.

**You had a haircut and 7 can't stop looking at you. What goes on in your mind?**

(7. Izumo) She's jealous cuz she didn't think to get this haircut.

**Number 8 thinks he'll never get a girlfriend. What will you tell him?**

(8. Shura) "Shura, you're a girl and most definitely not a lesbian. So you will never have a girlfriend. Why do you even want one?"

**Number 9 gives you a bagel. Do you eat it?**

(9. Shiemi) Yes…and then go puke immediately afterwards when she's not looking. Anything that girl cooks is toxic. I'm only eating it to be nice.

**1 offers you a CD. Considering his tastes, do you listen to it?**

(1. Ryuji) We like the same kind of music, so yeah. We listen to our iPods while we're in the trees anyway.

**2 suddenly goes emo. How does 8 feel about this?**

(2. Amaimon) (8. Shura) He already kind of is emo…I don't think Shura would care one way or another anyway.

**10 wants money and decides to get a job at Chuck E' Cheeses. How long does he stay?**

(10. Konekomaru) Probably for a while since he has nothing better to do.

**3 told 6 he started his period. His reaction?**

(3. Rin) (6. Renzo) Awkward…considering Rin is a boy. Renzo would probably walk away, shell-shocked.

**4 slaps 9 with a fish for going out with 7. Why?**

(4. Mephisto) (9. Shiemi) (7. Izumo) …Again, awkward.

**5 Comes up to you wearing a big pink dress. What's your reaction?**

(5. Yukio) "Yukio, are you drunk or did you just lose a bet?"

**6 cusses 2 out in German. 3 is secretly watching from behind a bush. What does he do? **

(6. Renzo) (2. Amaimon) (3. Rin) He holds in his laughter as best he can before they both find him and kill him. Then Amaimon kills Renzo for the hell of it.

**7 got high.**

(7. Izumo) You know, I kind of saw that coming.

**9 can't stand 1, so how does he get his revenge when she spills soda all over him?**

(9. Shiemi) (1. Ryuji) Glares at her and flips out, as he is wont to do. Then apologizes later for being a jerk because 1) I make him and 2) he's a nice guy underneath that glare.

**10 starts working at a bar. What would you do?**

(10. Konekomaru) Wow, Konekomaru. I didn't think you had it in you. Can I have a free drink?

**1 comes in and tells you he's pregnant from 2. How do you react?**

(1. Ryuji) (2. Amaimon) Me: "Ryuji, we're going to a therapist now to discuss your problems…"

Amaimon: "What's going on? What does pregnant mean?"

**1 breaks up with you. Why did he break up with you?**

(1. Ryuji) Because he found out I'm Satan's daughter…I hope he never finds out.

**2 is in love with 4, he confesses. How does 4 respond?**

(2. Amaimon) (4. Mephisto) Probably smack Amaimon upside the head and demand just what the hell is wrong with him.

**3 is a drug addict. What do you do?**

(3. Rin) Take him to a therapist to get him off the drugs. The last thing we need is him running around hopped up on meth and weed and God knows what else with his sword drawn and his flames consuming everything.

**4 kissed 8, what's your reaction?**

(4. Mephisto) (8. Shura) Saw it coming. Though she should actually be with Yukio, in my opinion. If he's not gay.

**6 kisses your boyfriend. What do you do?**

(6. Renzo) Me: "…What the hell you guys?"

Ryuji: "It was a dare! A dare! Rin dared us and said he'd pay us each twenty thousand yen!"

Renzo: "My reputation is ruined!"

Me: "…At least one good thing came out of this."

**7 is missing. Where do you go to look for her?**

(7. Izumo) No big loss. Why search?

**8 needs a tutor. On what subject does she need tutoring?**

(8. Shura) Um…not sure. Isn't she already a master in everything?

**9 wants to be a cheerleader. What do you say?**

(9. Shiemi) Good luck, Shiemi! *Under breath* You're gonna need it…

**10 hates you. Why?**

(10. Konekomaru) Because I'm Satan's daughter with out of control flames and I'm a threat to his family.

**Safaia: Well I hope you all enjoyed my torture session...err, I mean, this questionnaire.**

**Max: *Holds knife to throat* Say it...**

**Safaia: *Sigh* And, if you have any questions for me or the others, put them in the reviews or message Max...look, can I go now? I got a camp to set up, a show down with Amaimon and a big secret to reveal and-AND I JUST BROKE THE FOURTH WALL! *Hyperventilates***

**Max: That's what you get for hanging out with me too much...haha, anyway, review please!**


	16. Chapter 14

**Max: So...due to technical errors-**

**Safaia: You mean due to sleep deprivation.**

**Max: *Smacks Safaia***

**Safaia: OW! *Rubs back of head***

**Max: Ahem, like I said, due to technical errors, when I first posted this, I forgot to have Safaia answer the two questions some people had. So, here they are.**

**From operaghost96: Do you consider yourself to be closer (in the friends sense) with Shiemi, Ryuji, Rin, Yukio, or Shima?**

**Safaia: Well Shiemi's nice and all but I don't see myself as close to her as I do other people. Ryuji and I are past the "just friends" part, obviously. And while I'm close to Rin and Yukio, they're more of my brothers than my friends. Now, Renzo I get along with pretty well. We're usually on the same page, thinking the same things. I guees Izumo was right (for once-*shudder*) in calling us Tweedledee and Tweedledum. If we're staying in strictly the friends sense, Renzo is the one I'm closer too.**

**From Mossyhairundys: What would happen if Yukio loves Shura and tells Rin, also having the idea of marriage.**

**Safaia: Yes! I'm not the only one who thinks Yukio should be with Shura! Anyway, I think Rin would be a little disappointed that he didn't get Shura for himself, but he's actually pretty selfless and will congratulate Yukio on finally having the balls to get a girl. I know I would.**

**Max: So, that's all the questions that were in the reviews since the last chapter. Make sure that if you have any more questions, put them in the reviews or message me! Now, on with the story!**

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><p>We hiked for about another hour before we reached the end of the trail. It opened up into a nice little clearing ringed with oaks and blueberry bushes. There was plenty of room for us to set up the tents we had packed plus have a fire and a place to sit.<p>

"Well then, we'll set up the tents here," Yukio said, shrugging off his backpack. Everybody but Rin and the two teachers sighed in relief and collapsed on the ground. Even I was tired. Rin and I were sturdier than normal humans, but he was the one with the greater strength and stamina, while I was the triplet who had speed, reflexes, and agility. I was stronger than the normal human, and Rin faster, but he was even stronger than me and I faster than him. Yukio was the one who'd taken the brains. The good looks had been divided between the three of us, though some girls at True Cross would say Yukio looked better than me and Rin.

Speaking of the devil in glasses, he turned to us. "During the day, the forest may seem calm," he said. "However, when the day goes back it will transform into a nest for lower level demons. Let's finish building the base by twilight. The boys will be setting up the tents and lighting the fire with me. The girls will follow Ms. Kirigakure's instructions." He looked at Shura. "I'll leave it to you to draw the magic circle around the tents and prepare dinner."

"Gotcha," Shura said, herding us girls together and handing us giant paint brushes.

"Well, let's get started!" Yukio said, taking off his coat.

"Whoa, he took of his coat," Ryuji said.

"He was really hot after all," Renzo said. "I thought he was superhuman or something."

"With Yukio, you can never tell," I said, taking my can of paint from Shura and following her to the spot where we'd start the circle.

"All right, I'm guessing you already know the basic protection circle, so hop to it!" Shura said, climbing up a tree and laying herself across a limb to relax and watch us work.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping us?" I asked, glaring up at her.

"I did help," she said. "I gave you your supplies. Now work!"

Grumbling, I opened a can of paint with one of my practice knives and angrily began slapping the holy-water infused paint on the ground, careful not to get any on myself lest I have an allergic reaction or something.

Rin's yelping made me look up halfway through the circle. I watched as the tent he and Ryuji had been working on collapse. "That's why I told you not to hit it!" Ryuji yelled, kneeling down to reconstruct the tent.

"Rin!" Yukio scolded, coming over to help with the process.

Shiemi and I laughed. "That looks like fun!" she said.

"What a retard," I said. I shook my head. "But you're right. I'd rather trade jobs with Rin, or any of the boys."

"What are you talking about?" Izumo asked, looking up from the compass she was supposed to be using to sketch out the circle for me and Shiemi to paint. "It looks hot and tiring to me."

"What you call hot and tiring I call fun and something new," I said, trying to keep my annoyance out of my voice. "I've never really been on a camping trip before. This is totally new to me."

"Really?" Shiemi asked. "Me too!"

"Yeah, my dad could never get enough time off work to take me and Mom out in the woods like he always wanted to," I said. "Even though he was CEO for a big technology company, he loved being outside. Once in a while when I was little he'd take me fishing but we never got to go camping."

Shiemi blushed a little and looked down. "I was always shy when I was a child," she said. "But I love the outdoors, even though my mom really doesn't. I've always wanted to go camping but Grandma was too old and Mom never would take me." She looked over at the boys again and giggled a little. "Aren't those boys mysterious?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I got along perfectly with the guys and understood them easily. I didn't find them mysterious at all.

"The mysterious one is you," Izumo muttered. I raised my eyebrow but didn't question her. Shiemi was a little hard to read, always bouncing from light and happy to clumsy and confusing.

"What is it?" Shiemi asked, noticing Izumo's gaze directed at her.

"Ah, nothing!" Izumo said quickly.

"Come on, Shiemi, let's hurry up! We're almost done!" I said. I waved my paint-coated brush at her.

"O-Ok!" the blond cried, hurrying over and doing a rushed job.

"No, no, slower strokes, more even!" I corrected. "Like this! See? That way we won't have to redo our mistakes!"

"Ok, like this?" She slowed down her painting and did nice even strokes.

"Exactly," I said, joining my line with hers. "There, we're done! Shura!"

"You done?" our teacher asked a little drunkenly. "So fast. You win."

"Win what?" I asked.

"The right to cook dinner!" she said, hopping down from her tree.

"That was our job in the first place!" I snapped.

"Was it?" She scratched her head. "I don't remember. Whatever! Go cook."

Grumbling, I led Shiemi and Izumo over to where the boys were starting the fire and dug the food and cooking utensils out of Yukio's pack. I handed the pot, knives, and cutting board to Izumo and the small cooler that held the salad stuff to Shiemi. I read the instructions for making curry on the back of the instant curry packet and scratched my head in confusion. "What the hell?" I asked. "Are we making curry or katsudon?"

"Here, let me see," Rin said, taking the packet from my hands. "Do you girls mind if I cook?" he asked.

"Be my guest," I said, taking his place at the fire.

"Whatever, so long as there's food," Izumo said.

"Ok, Shiemi, can you take care of the salad?" my brother asked.

"Sure!" she said cheerily, taking out the lettuce and putting it into different bowls.

"Is that even allowed?" Ryuji asked.

"Who cares?" I said. "At least we're guaranteed something good to eat." I frowned at the smoldering pile of wood the boys had tried to light. "Did you get any pitch?" I asked, gingerly lifting the charred wood away.

"What's pitch?" they chorused. I sighed. "Hold on," I said, walking over to the trees. I frowned and looked around, trying to find an old, dead pine. I finally found one leaning against an oak tree and broke off a branch. "This is pitch," I said, holding up the piece that gave off a nice, piney smell. "It catches fire easily and is good for starting one." I came back over and shoved it under the pieces of cedar and oak they'd thrown on. I pulled the oak pieces out and said, "Wait until we have a good bed of coals from the cedar to put on the oak," I instructed. Renzo handed me a match and I struck it, holding it to the pitch until the old wood caught fire. I smiled as it began to flame up beautifully.

Suddenly a breeze blew through our camp and the flame flickered. "No, no, stay with me," I crooned, cupping my hands around the flame. It flickered dangerously some more. I placed my hands on either side of the flame and channeled my fire into my palms, heating the wood I touched until it grew sticky with heated sap. The little flame ate up the sap as I pulled my hands away and we all watched it grow and begin to eat away the cedar.

"Great, Safaia," Rin said, smiling at me and holding the pot of curry. "Is it ready for me to put this over it?"

"Yep," I said as Ryuji and Konekomaru placed the wire frame above my fire. I threw on a small oak branch along with a chunk of cedar. "Have at it." I went to our makeshift washbasin to get the sap off my hands.

Within minutes, the curry was ready. "Time to eat!" Rin called, dishing out servings of his cooking to everybody while Shiemi passed out salad.

I couldn't help but smirk a little at everyone's faces as they tried Rin's cooking for the first time. Even Izumo seemed to enjoy it.

"Holy crap! It's really good!" Ryuji exclaimed through a mouthful of curry. He swallowed his first bite and stared at the bowl. "Is this for real?"

"It's real, alright," I said, savoring the flavor. "For all his faults, my older brother's a damn good cook."

"T-This is certainly a taste that wouldn't be put to shame no matter which family you marry into!" Renzo said.

"You're really good at cooking, Okumura," Konekomaru said as I enjoyed Izumo's look of complete shock.

"Mmmm! Ish delishous, Rin!" Shiemi cried, her cheeks full of food.

"Well, you know, it's a talent," Rin said, blushing a little. "Besides, it's just curry."

"My brother's only useful skill," Yukio chuckled, earning a "Shut up, Four-eyes!" from Rin.

"Let's have some more!" Shiemi said.

"Oh, I can't eat anymore," Renzo moaned, patting his stuffed stomach.

"I can," I said, scooping more curry into mine and Shiemi's bowls. Ryuji and Takara held out theirs to be refilled and I scooped some into theirs, too. "Mmm, so good," we chorused. Well, except for Takara. He just ate his.

Shiemi burped loudly and we all laughed as she turned red and said, "Excuse me." Renzo put his arm around her and said, "Don't worry, Moriyama-san. I still think you're cute." She blushed deeper and I slugged Renzo on the arm.

"Hey, what about me?" I asked, drawing the attention away from her. She gave me a grateful look.

"Of course you're cute, too, Safaia-chan!" Renzo said, untangling his arm from around Shiemi. "But you're taken by whatever lucky guy has claim to you. Can't I flirt with Moriyama-san?"

"And here I thought I was the only one you had a crush on," Izumo said dryly.

Renzo shot her a smile. "I still love you, Izumo-chan!" he said quickly. "But with all these beautiful women, who can choose just one?" He gestured with his hands helplessly.

"Which one of us do you think is prettier, then, hmm?" I asked, poking him in the ribs.

"Uh…" he said, trailing off.

"It's me," Izumo said confidently. "I'm much prettier than you. How any man could love or even remotely like a hag like you is beyond me."

"At least I'm bigger than you," I said, puffing out my chest a little. "Your chest is so small it's almost flat."

"It is not!" she cried, crossing her arms to hide her boobs.

"I beat you both at that," Shiemi said, shocking us both. She looked at our gaping faces. "What? I do. Just look." We both compared our chests to hers and conceded that hers was in fact bigger.

"Yeah, well, boobs aren't everything in a girl, right Renzo?" I said, looking back at him and ignoring Izumo's snort. He jumped a little.

"O-Of course not," he stammered. "Um…thighs are great, too, not to mention hair and eyes—"

"Aha! My eyes are better than both of yours!" I cried, pointing to my face. "Yours are a scary red, Izumo. Those demon eyes will drive men off! And Shiemi's are a really bright green that are almost clear! Men want mystery, not openness! My eyes are a perfect dark blue that lure guys in and make them want more."

"My hair's much prettier than yours, curly-top!" Izumo said, swishing her straight purple locks back and forth. I frowned and fingered one of my slight curls. "My hair shimmers in the light, while yours stays black all the time, and blond hair just makes men think of stupidity!"

"And yet my thighs are better than both of yours!" Shiemi cried, really getting into the catfight.

"Ladies, ladies, please!" Renzo cried, holding up his hands for peace. "No matter what woman it is, every one of them is beautiful in her own way, whether it be eyes, hair, boobs, or thighs, including the three of you!"

"But which of us is more beautiful, Renzo?" Izumo asked. "Me, Safaia, or Shiemi?"

"Um…" he said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Bon, Koneko, help a man out, here!" Konekomaru shook his head.

"You're on your own," Ryuji said, turning to the cooler with the drinks.

"Rin!" Renzo pleaded. Rin was stirring the curry and pointedly not looking over at us.

"Mr. Okumura?" Yukio had somehow disappeared while we were arguing.

Renzo looked at Takara and sighed. "Well, um, I think the prettiest one is…" He looked up and spotted Shura coming back from a toilet trip. "Ms. Kirigakure!"

"Huh?" Shiemi, Izumo and I said. "That's not who you were supposed to pick!" I cried.

"What's going on here?" Shura asked, confused.

"Just a catfight with Shima caught in the middle as usual," Konekomaru sighed.

"Well, that's ok, I guess," Shura said, still a little confused. "Any curry left?"

"Hey Okumura," Ryuji said, looking at Rin. "What do you want to drink?"

"I'll come choose one!" Rin said, smiling and standing up. He made his way to the cooler and peered in.

"Renzo? Koneko? Safaia?" Ryuji asked, looking at each of us. Was it just me, or did he seem to hold my gaze longer than he did the others'?

"I'll have tea," Konekomaru said and I nodded. "Same here."

Ryuji handed Renzo our drinks and he passed them down, grabbing an orange cola for himself. Ryuji grabbed himself a water and sat next to me.

"Fun, huh?" he asked as we cracked open our bottles.

"Yeah," I said, taking a long drink. "I wish we could do this more often."

"What, camp?" he asked, leaning back on one hand.

"Nah, I mean just be like this, with no worries, no homework, nothing to do besides have fun, you know?" I asked, swishing my tea around in its bottle and watching the white bubbles. "It's nice just to relax and hang with your friends every once in a while."

He nodded and didn't say anything. We watched as everybody laughed and bantered, drinking in the happy feeling and each other's presence. "Hey lovebirds!" Renzo said, making us blush. "Get over here! Shura brought popsicles for everyone! They're a little melted, but still good!"

Ryuji looked at me as we stood up. "Should we…?" he asked.

I blushed a little and said, "Well, I did promise you that we would tell them when the opportunity rose, didn't I?" I took the cherry popsicle that Renzo offered.

"Tell us what?" Rin asked, his hearing better than the others'.

"You guys have something to tell?" Renzo said, handing Ryuji an orange popsicle.

"Um, yeah," I said, my blush getting deeper as I sat down by the fire. I carefully and methodically unwrapped my frozen treat, avoiding the questioning looks Ryuji and I were receiving.

"Well, spill," Shura said. "If you're gonna tell, tell. No need to hold back."

I nudged Ryuji and he nudged me back. I gave him a glare and he glared back. "You tell them," I said.

"No, you tell them," he replied, our cheeks flushing more.

"You guys are dating, aren't you?" Izumo asked. We both shot looks at her. She snorted. "I knew it."

"How the hell did you find out?" I asked, bewildered.

"I saw you guys holding hands one day," she explained. "You were coming from the trees and I just happened to be going by and I saw you. When you see that, it's not hard to figure out the rest."

"Wait a minute," Rin said. "You guys…" His brow furrowed as he put two and two together. "YOU KISSED MY SISTER?" he yelled at Ryuji, who actually shrank back a little and put his arm around me.

"So what if I did?" he demanded once he realized Rin wasn't going to do anything to him…yet. "She said I could! And remember, she kissed me first!"

"What I want to know is, how long have you guys been together?" Konekomaru asked. Leave it to him to be the calm one in any situation.

Ryuji and I looked at each other. "Since…the ghoul attack," he said. "The double ghoul attack, the one that was our test."

Renzo whistled. "So, when you said you were with a guy…" he started.

"I actually meant Ryuji," I finished. "The whole 'a guy I used to date' thing was just a cover story. We weren't exactly sure how you'd guys would react if we told you."

"Congratulations, you guys!" Shiemi said brightly, smiling at us. I gave her a weak one in return.

"This is all very interesting," Yukio broke in, "but need I remind you all that we are all here for a training camp, not a romance confession?" Everybody shifted uncomfortably and Ryuji dropped his arm from around my waist. Instead, he twined his free fingers through mine.

As we finished our popsicles, Yukio stood and said, "Now then, this concludes a rather…different dinner, so I'll begin to explain the content of this training camp."

"In other words, a test of courage, a test of courage," Shura said drunkenly, swinging her almost empty beer can around. She giggled and burped. Shiemi, Izumo and I all looked at Renzo and raised one eyebrow in unison. He grinned nervously and shrugged.

"Shura, we're in the middle of work," Yukio sighed.

"Wait, what's with her?" Ryuji demanded, pointing at Shura. "Didn't she say she was eighteen? She's underage!"

"Eighteen?" Yukio asked, confused. "What are you talking about? She's already turned twenty-si—"

"Whoops, my hand slipped," Shura said, lobbing the now-empty can at Yukio and hitting him on the head.

Yukio growled. "It's time for work, dammit!" he snapped, glaring at her. Everybody stared at him. He realized what he said and pressed his fist to his mouth, trying to calm down.

"He's pi-issed, he's pi-issed," Shura chanted, laughing.

Yukio coughed. "Anyway, I'll now run through the plan," he muttered ashamedly. He took a deep breath. With more confidence, he straightened. "To begin, everyone must leave the base and scatter in different directions. Somewhere in this forest is a lantern, which you must light before you can return. For the next three days of this training camp, only those who can light the lanterns and return safely will have the right to participate in actual combat missions.

"However, there are only three lanterns available." He held up three fingers to emphasize. "The only information I can give you is this—the lanterns are located within fifty meters of this base. To put it simply, there are only three positions available to be qualified for actual combat mission." Only three spots? I thought over who I'd want on a three-person team with me. Ryuji, obviously. He was a damned good Aria and trusted me, and I him. Rin would be good, but since he didn't have the Kurikara with him, he wouldn't be able to do much. Shiemi would only do any real good by healing wounds, not fighting. Takara…I was convinced he was a vegetable, so no go there. With Ryuji with me, Konekomaru wouldn't be much help. That left Izumo and Renzo. If she wasn't such a bitch, I could live with her as a combat partner, but I would prefer Renzo, since he also had that staff.

"Moving on," Yukio was continuing, "I'll brief you on the contents of your backpacks." He picked up a bag and carefully laid its contents out so we could see all of it clearly. "There's enough supplies of food and water to last you three days, as well as a sleeping bag, towel, tissues, daily necessities, as well as a compass, flashlight for nighttime use, fireworks for repelling demons, a single match and various other things are inside.

"As I said earlier, once night falls this forest becomes a nest for low level demons. Considering your current level of strength, most of you will barely make it through." Oh? Was he forgetting the way we had handled that middle-level ghoul? "If you feel like you are in too much danger, please use the demon-repelling fireworks. Either Ms. Kirigakure or I will come to collect you within two minutes."

"Hold on," Konekomaru said, looking at the matchbook. "You said you'd given us a single match?"

"Basically, if you use it to light the firework, you'll no longer be able to light the lantern," Yukio said. "Please think carefully before using it. Furthermore, the lantern has been specially made so we'll know when it's lit. If you only light the lantern as you approach the base, you'll be disqualified. If the flame goes out on the way back, you'll be disqualified. And, of course, if you light the firework, you'll be disqualified. To think carefully about your strengths and use them to their fullest is the quickest way to win!

"And now, everyone, please prepare yourselves." I nodded and grabbed my pack, making sure everything I needed was there.

"Um, so basically all we have to do is go out into the forest, find a lamp, light it and come back, right?" Rin asked as he shouldered his pack. "Isn't that pretty easy?"

Shura laughed and grabbed him, dragging him a little ways from the others, motioning for me to follow. "Do ya really understand?" she asked a little drunkenly.

"What?" Rin asked.

"Ya can't do the same thing as the last Exwire exam, got it?" she said. "Inna dark forest like this you'll be found ASAP. Don't bring out yer flames!" She gave us each a pretty steady look for being seriously smashed. "Never forget that I'm still an Inspector. If the truth about the two of ya wieldin' Satan's flames were to come out, I'd hafta report ya to the higher ups. And if I did that, everyone from the upper classes to the Arc Knights and the current Paladin—guys who seem more like demons than the actual things—will come to exterminate both of you. Maybe Yukio, too. And even if they don't, ya won't be able to go back to the Academy and be Exorcists, right?

"Still, how ya gonna fight without yer flames?" she asked, patting Rin on the back. "Ya can't win by just runnin' around and swingin' that wooden sword and stabbin' with those knives. Like Yukio said, 'Please think carefully before using them.'" She gave Rin one final pat and me a wink and sauntered off to her spot by the fire.

Frowning, I thought about my strengths. What did I have? Speed, agility, and great reflexes, sure, as well as a good knowledge of demons, but that was it, not including my flames.

"You have it easy," Rin groused, his face pale. "You can summon familiars." My familiars! What a great idea!

"Thanks, Rin!" I said, giving my brother an impulsive hug. "You just gave me an idea!"

"Um, you're welcome?" he said questioningly, wriggling free of the hug. "What idea did I just give you?"

Before I could answer, Ryuji sauntered up confidently and said to Rin, "You look kinda pale. What happened to all that energy from before? You scared?" He snickered a little and I elbowed him in the gut. "Be nice," I scowled.

"Sorry," he apologized, wrapping his arm around my waist. He gave me a quick squeeze and let go, walking over to the edge of the protective circle, me and Rin close behind. "This training was designed to make us compete against each other, even if I'd rather not go against my girlfriend. Once the struggle begins it'll probably be us destroying each other.

"The only way to do this right is to think for yourself!" He pulled out his Aria beads and punched the one clutching the beads into his open palm as everyone gathered around him. "There'll be no cooperation between us!" Damn, could my Ryuji do a pep talk! I felt my chest swell a little with pride, not only for him but for myself as well. I was sure I was going to succeed in this little training camp.

"No matter what happens, don't hold a grudge, ok?" Renzo asked.

"For once, Blockhead's got it right," Izumo said. I glared at her and was sorely tempted to hit her on the back of the head with one of my knives. "There're only three slots available, after all. I feel rather relieved."

"I'll feel good once I know who my combat mission partners are," I said, pulling out a magic circle paper from my pocket and gouging the flesh of my index finger with my teeth. I tipped my hand and watched the blood run across the circle. "See you guys in the winner's circle." I pulled out my flashlight and twirled it in my free hand. "And to the losers, well, better luck next time. This'll just prove which of us are the better Exorcists." Everyone nodded, their faces grimly determined.

"Line up! Everybody face a different direction!" Yukio called. We quickly scattered to the different points of the circle. Izumo was on my right, with Konekomaru just past her and Renzo beyond him, while Rin was to my left and Shiemi and Ryuji, respectively. I figured Takara was directly behind me as I couldn't see him. "All right," Yukio called. "Ready…" I tensed and out of the corners of my eyes saw Izumo and Rin ready themselves. "Set…" Yukio fired his pistol and we all leapt into the trees.

"I call upon the offspring of the Greek Underworld guardian Cerberus!" I chanted once I had cleared the protective circle. I padded quickly over the stretch of open ground between me and the trees. The spot I had picked was a little farther back from the tree line than the others' positions. "Hellhound, I'm your mistress! Obey my whims! Koinu!" My faithful servant appeared in a blast of fiery hot air and whimpered happily at me, running along beside in his large form. I flicked on my flashlight and jumped on his back without breaking my stride. He loped along happily, his tongue hanging out and muscles stretching and retracting pleasantly beneath me. "Let's find us a lantern!" I cried, shoving his paper into the pocket of my shirt and gripping his neck fur tightly with my free hand. He howled loudly and happily, baying so the others could hear, and we plunged into the trees.

The first things we met were some nasty moths. They swarmed around us, blocking my vision and clinging to my skin, biting me. "Ow!" I yelped, slapping them away and throwing up one arm to protect my face. "Piss off! Koinu! Help!" Koinu stopped and opened his massive jaws, swallowing some of the moths. _Nasty, nasty! Nasty taste,_ he cried, but he still turned every which way to eat the moths around us.

I growled. While my hellhound had solved the problem of the moths in front of us, there were still a few floating around me that he couldn't reach. Instinctively, I reached for my flames, but at the last second withdrew. There was no way I was going to pull them out for something this trivial! I was just as bad as Rin, relying on Satan's power too much.

"Crap! What was that verse I helped Ryuji memorize?" I yelled, batting away the offending bugs. "What was it? What was—"

A particularly large moth bumped into my hand and sent my flashlight flying into a nearby tree, breaking in half and having darkness engulf us. Immediately, the bugs backed off, withdrawing to where ever they had come from. I frowned and blinked until my eyes had adjusted to the darkness. Koinu stopped turning and swung his massive head around to look at me, his fire-eyes glowing in the darkness. _They're gone_, he said. _Do you want to go after them?_

"Hell no," I said, patting his fur. "I've had enough of those vampires. Let's go find a lantern instead."

He huffed happily. _Good,_ he said. _No more eating moths._

I laughed and patted him again. "No more eating moths," I agreed. I turned him towards the direction we had been headed before we were stopped by the bugs. "Come on, let's—"

A familiar shriek range through the air, high and clear. "Shiemi!" I immediately cried, turning Koinu in the direction of her voice. Without a command, he took off towards the sound. "Koinu, shadow-hunt!" I cried, naming one of the abilities he, Shoki, and Izanami had told me they could perform. "Find Shiemi! Quick!"

A flash of blue lit up the trees, blinding me for a second. "God damn it, Rin," I said. "Koinu, hurry!" My hellhound let out a "Roof!" and barreled through the trees to my idiot brother and Shiemi.


	17. Chapter 15

**Max: Alrighty then! New chapter, new question! Take it away, LinkinParkIsMyMuse!**

**From LinkinParkIsMyMuse: What do you think if the class did a girls only mission (including Shura)?**

**Safaia: Oh, God. You want chonological order? Cat fight, cat fight, kill demons while Shura breaks apart mine and Izumo's said cat fight, cat fight, Izumo and I get along for a few minutes to get halfway through the mission, yet another cat fight (we can all see where this is going, huh?), cat fight, Shura gives up, and then Izumo and I get along for the rest of the mission and then go back to hating each other's guts. Yeah, she and I don't get along real well.**

**Max: 0.O Wow, you hate Izumo.**

**Safaia: So do you!**

**Max: Only a little. Not as much as you. But, anyway! Dearest DelilahLied9907898 was kind enough to do some drawings for me and put them on deviantART! If you want to see them, just put her user name, xXcookies898Xx in either Google or deviantART's search engine and check out the two pictures Delilah did, titled _Ryuji and Safaia_ and _Rin and Safaia Okumura_. Delilah did a great job-**

**Safaia: Better then she could've done, she means.**

**Max :*With gun pointed to Safaia's head* Sadly, yes, I have no artistic talent. But, from what I take by your guys' reviews, I've got a knack for writing, so here's the latest chapter! And please, don't forget to review!**

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><p>"Shiemi! Are you alright?" Rin cried as I neared him and the fallen girl.<p>

I gritted my teeth. Was he aware of the fact that he'd just sent off a light that could probably be seen from a mile radius? What an idiot!

Koinu slid into the small clearing where Rin was bent over Shiemi, turning sideways and propelling me off his back. "What the hell, Rin?" I demanded, staggering a few steps to gain my balance. I grabbed his collar and hoisted him up a bit. He grabbed my wrist to keep himself from choking. "What the hell was that?"

Rin opened his mouth. "That's what I was about to ask," another voice said, making us turn to see Ryuji crashing through some bushes across from where Koinu and I had appeared from. "What was that just now?"

"Suguro…" Rin said.

"Ryuji!" I cried, dropping Rin.

"Is Moriyama ok?" my boyfriend asked, looking down at the unconscious girl.

I blinked as Rin gaped and quickly recovered. "Uh, probably," he said, looking down at her. "For the moment, anyway. Her head's bleeding, though."

I noticed Rin's flashlight laying at Shiemi's feet the same time Ryuji did. "Hey, turn off your light," he said as I kicked it to Rin and said, "Turn that off, idiot! It's attracting the bugs!"

"I-It is?" my brother asked, picking it up and turning it off. "Ack! I can't see!" he cried, waving his hand in front of his face and comically hitting himself.

"Give it a minute," I said. I whistled and Koinu trotted over, a bit bigger now. He swung his head over us, his eyes illuminating our space.

"Creepy," Ryuji muttered, staring at the hellhound's eyes for a minute. Koinu panted happily at him. Ryuji shook himself and asked, "So what was that just now?" Rin and I both froze. "It was so dark and the light shined so suddenly, I was practically blinded. I could hardly see what it was."

"Wh-Who knows? I couldn't see it well either," Rin cried lamely, nervously looking between me and Ryuji. "It's probably, you know, 'that.' Uh, what was 'that' again?" He looked at me helplessly, chewing his bottom lip like a little kid.

"It was probably whatever attacked Shiemi," I said. "Or whatever drove the thing that hurt her off." Ryuji nodded, buying my story better than Rin's. "Anyway, what did you come here for, Ryuji?"

"What for…I came here to help!" he cried, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Weren't you the one who said he wasn't going to help people?" Rin asked, looking at him curiously like I was.

"Sh-Shut up!" Ryuji yelled, irritated. "Who could ignore a scream like that? She sounded like she was gonna die!"

I cocked my head to the side, staring at him. "What?" he asked, irritated.

"You thought it was me, didn't you?" I said.

He turned red. "Maybe," he said evasively, looking away.

I laughed and gave him a hug. "Thanks, Ryuji," I said. "At least I know you'll rush to my rescue should I need it." He turned red again but hugged me back, not letting me go.

"I was scared that it was you," he murmured in my ear, his breath and pubescent hair tickling it. "You don't know how relieved I was to find out it wasn't you. I was still worried about Shiemi, though."

I shook my head. "You're a hypocrite, you know that?" Before he could respond I hugged him again. "I don't mind, though."

"Um, you guys?" Rin asked, making us break apart ashamedly, blushing furiously. "Not that that was making me uncomfortable or anything, but since Shiemi's ok, why don't you two go on ahead and leave everything to me?"

"Leave everything to you?" Ryuji asked, confused.

"What the hell are you talking about, Rin?" I said, crossing my arms.

"I'll take Shiemi back to the base," he explained. "I'll just retrace my steps back."

"Not by yourself, you won't," I said, pulling out another summoning circle. Koinu quickly shrank down to half his size, knowing that I was about to summon another demon and I didn't want my flames coming out. I'd trained him and my other hellhounds to shrink down whenever someone was around and I was about to summon another, so I wouldn't accidentally reveal my fire. I bit my thumb again and smeared the blood across the circle. "I call upon the offspring of the Greek Underworld Guardian Cerberus," I chanted, holding out the paper. "Hellhound, I'm your mistress! Obey my every whim! Shoki!" My other boy materialized in a burst of hot air and wagged his tail happily, eyes of fire adding light with Koinu's. "Shoki'll take you both back," I said. "You ride on his back to hold Shiemi on. He'll shadow hunt back with Yukio's scent."

Ryuji growled. "You know…" he began, but was interrupted by Shiemi groaning and drawing our attention.

"Shiemi!" Rin and I cried, kneeling down next to the girl on either side.

"Rin? Safaia?" she asked weakly, cracking open one eye. "Ugh, it's dark—Ni-chan!" She bolted upright and picked up a ripped piece of paper at her feet. "Ni-chan," she whimpered, on the verge of tears. "It—It's Ni-chan's…" She trailed off, about to cry.

"What's wrong?" Rin asked frantically, completely clueless.

I rolled my eyes. "Her summoning paper got ripped, nimrod," I said, smacking the back of his head. "So her familiar was banished."

"Oh," he said stupidly, rubbing the spot where I'd hit him.

"You can summon the same familiar if you have a magic circle," Ryuji said kindly, kneeling down next to me and gently placing a hand on Shiemi's arm. I resisted the urge to smack his hand away or take it in mine. I really had to work on my jealousy problem.

"Where's the stock of paper you drew the circle on?" I asked. "If you don't have any, you can use one of mine. They're the same type, anyway."

"Oh yeah!" she said, digging through her bag. "Um, I'm missing some of stuff…I wonder if they fell out when I was attacked?"

"You were attacked by those moths?" Rin asked, alarmed.

"I was hit on the head as soon as I turned around," Shiemi said, a look of pure innocence on her face that I knew she wasn't faking. I doubted that that girl could fake anything, she was so open and honest. "And I blacked out. But it seemed to be a giant moth…"

We all enjoyed a sense of foreboding that seemed straight out of a horror movie for a minute when a moth suddenly fluttered from behind Shiemi. A beam of light hit Rin's face and he yelled, "Get down!" just as Ryuji grabbed my arm and hauled me backwards, making me bump into him. He lost his balance and we fell down, me on top of him with his arm now around my waist.

Something came flying out of the bushes and attacked Rin just as Shiemi ducked, swinging something at him. Rin just barely blocked it with his sword and shoved the thing away and to Koinu and Shoki, who picked the thing up by its arms and held it above the ground, its feet dangling helplessly and its light shining in Koinu's face.

"Shima?" Ryuji exclaimed as I scrambled off of him and dusted myself off. I offered my hand and he took it, pulling himself up. "Turn off your light! And why is it in your mouth?"

"Bon?" came the muffled reply. Renzo spit out his light and said, "A little help, please?"

"Drop him," I commanded, and the hellhounds did so. Koinu knelt down and gingerly picked up the flashlight, offering it to the pink haired boy.

"Thanks," Renzo said, taking the flashlight and switching it off. He looked around once his eyes had adjusted to the darkness. "Huh? What's everybody doing here?"

"Same goes for you!" Ryuji snapped.

"A swarm of moths surrounded me," Renzo said weakly, shuddering at the memory. "And after that, I lost my memory."

"Oh yeah, you really hate bugs," Ryuji muttered as I patted Renzo on the back.

"It's ok," I said. "Don't worry about it. I used to be scared of water slides. I was so scared I wouldn't even go near one without my parents dragging me kicking and screaming. If they'd even get me to the top of one I'd pass out."

"You…were afraid of water slides?" Rin asked, giving me an amused look.

"Have you ever gone down one of those headfirst with water clogging your nose and mouth and nearly passing out, with no way to stop yourself when you're only five?" I retorted, giving him a harsh look in return. "And then having no sense of direction once you hit to pool, with all those bubbles floating around you?" I shuddered at the memory. "I freaking hate water slides."

"Finally, someone who understands!" Renzo cried, hugging me and burying his face in my breasts.

"Hey!" Ryuji and I said together. He grabbed Renzo's arm and dragged him away as I unhooked his arms from around my and shoved him.

"Sorry," Renzo apologized, giving me a sly grin. "I couldn't help myself." Ryuji growled and cuffed him around the ear. "Only I have rights to those," he told his pink-haired friend.

I opened my mouth for a snappy comment or an angry retort, I wasn't really sure which, when Rin beat me to it. "Boyfriend or no boyfriend, nobody's going to violate my sister like that!" he snapped, glaring at Ryuji and Renzo, though his gaze seemed to linger on Ryuji. "I don't care if she even lets you do it! If I find out anything like that happens, whoever did it is so dead!" He grabbed the hilt of his sword for emphasis.

"Oh my _God_, enough with the testosterone already!" I groaned, flopping down on my butt next to Shiemi. "You guys are impossible!" I yelped and jumped as something buzzed in my back jeans pocket. I pulled out my iPhone and unlocked it, opening my new message.

Suddenly two ringtones, one being "Sexy and I Know It" by LMFAO and the other being "Fallen Angels" by Black Veil Brides, echoed in our little neck of the woods. "Fallen Angels" emanated from Ryuji's backpack while "Sexy and I Know It" was coming from Renzo's pocket. They pulled their phones out and we all checked our messages.

"It's from Konekomaru," I said as Rin peered over my shoulder to get a look. I shoved him away and scrolled, reading the message. _I've found the lantern,_ it said. _I now know that this training is impossible to complete by myself. Let's cooperate!_ After that it listed directions on how to get to where he was.

"Same here," Ryuji said, showing his phone to Rin and Shiemi.

I stood up, pushing my iPhone back into my pocket and dusting off my bottom. I held out a hand to Shiemi and pulled her up. "Well, let's go!" I said, whistling to my hellhounds. They came over and went down on their bellies, already knowing what I wanted. "Shoki and Koinu can shadow hunt Konekomaru, and we'll get there faster. Hop on!" I clambered up onto Koinu's back and held out my hand.

Rin immediately took it and I pulled him up. Ryuji frowned and climbed onto Shoki, having Renzo push Shiemi up while he pulled.

"Anybody got something that Konekomaru casted a shadow over recently?" I asked, nudging Koinu's sides with my feet. He stood up and rolled his shoulders, ready to move. Shoki followed his example and stood next to us so we could see the others easily.

"You mean something he touched?" Renzo asked, looking in his backpack.

"No, I mean something he cast a shadow over," I said. "The point of shadow hunting is tracking something with the scent of its shadow. That's how it works. To hellhounds, shadows have distinct scents, especially a person's. Koinu and Shoki already know Rin, Shiemi, Yukio, and Ryuji's shadow scents; those are the ones I trained them with, but they don't know Konekomaru's. Anybody got a piece of paper or something he cast a shadow over within the last day or so?"

"Would my phone work?" Ryuji asked, pulling it back out and tossing it to me. "He used it yesterday during lunch for something. I'm pretty sure he cast a shadow over it."

"It ought to work," I said, clambering to Koinu's head and holding the phone in front of his nose. He took a quick whiff of it and began snuffling around, pawing the ground and nose going a mile a minute. I tossed the phone back to Ryuji and he did the same with Shoki, who in turn began pacing and sniffing. After a moment, they said, _Got it_, and took off.

I heard the others yell at the sudden movement and Rin clutched me around the waist tightly. I laughed and whooped, tears streaming in my eyes from the wind. "Whahoo!" I cried, pumping a fist. "Go boys, go!" They howled in unison and flexed their muscles, making shoulders roll under us and pick up their speed. Their paws barely seemed to touch the ground. We were flying, air making our hair whip behind us as we wove in and out of the trees. It was an ultimate rush. I could feel my hellhounds' joy from just being able to run and stretch. They hadn't been able to do that in a while and they were enjoying it to their fullest, and that joy flooded me and made me happy as hell.

All too soon, it was over. They hellhounds slowed their pace, panting happily and trotting into a clearing where Konekomaru was standing with a giant stone lantern next to him and a wooden cart in front of it.

"Bon!" Konekomaru cried happily. "And you brought Renzo, Shiemi, and Rin and Safaia, too! Thank goodness."

Renzo gaped. "What is this?" he asked.

I gave a low whistle as I slid off Koinu's back. "You weren't kidding when you said you couldn't do this by yourself," I said, walking up to the lantern and putting my hands on my hips.

"It's huge!" Rin exclaimed, sliding down after me. Renzo, Ryuji, and Shiemi hurried to get off Shoki. The hellhounds sighed happily and sat down, awaiting further orders. "This is a lantern?"

"A stone lantern…I think?" Shiemi said nervously as I reached out and scraped a finger against the lantern. I inspected the ash that came off, rubbing it between my thumb and index finger.

"It's a peg lantern," Ryuji clarified. "At night, it lies in wait for someone to light it. Once the fire has been lit, the lantern begins to move and eats anything living for its fuel. Women in particular are its favorite." He scowled at the lantern, disgust clearly written on his face. "It'll be unable to move once it's run out of fuel or when morning breaks. That's the kind of demon it is."

"A demon they must use to train Exwires regularly," I said, showing him the ash. "This ash isn't very old. They must've used it for the last Exwire class that was here. I know for a fact that other Exwire groups come out here and train. I just wasn't sure what they did."

"How do you know that?" Rin demanded.

"Mephisto told me," I said. "I tracked him down one day and asked if there were any other Exwires training in the other branches of True Cross and he said yes. He said they come here regularly to train because the Japanese Branch is an ideal place to train budding Exorcists, what with the variety of demons running around here."

"Just by looking at this, I can't help but think we misinterpreted the rules," Konekomaru said.

"I'd say so," I said, nodding.

"You're right," Ryuji said. "In this training exercise, everyone will need to cooperate."

"That so, Bon?" Renzo teased. "Weren't you the one saying 'there'll be no cooperation between us' before, hmm?" He snickered and I slugged him.

"I-I was confused by the fact that he said there were only three positions available for actual fighting!" Ryuji snapped, turning red.

"Sensei certainly did say there were three positions available," Konekomaru agreed. "Just not three people."

"Well said, Koneko-san," I said, slapping the bald boy on the back. He blushed a little and said, "Thanks, Safaia."

"Anyways, I'd love to work together with you guys! I couldn't ask for anything more!" Ryuji said. He held up his hand in the shape of a phone and wiggled it next to his ear. "Is there anyone who knows Izumo's or Takara's cell phone numbers?"

"I don't keep bitch or vegetable numbers on my phone," I said, shrugging.

"I've asked Izumo-chan for her number countless times but she always refused," Renzo said, heartbroken. He pouted and sniffed a little, eyes glistening with disappointment. "She even rejected me for a date."

"Shima, when did…" Ryuji shook his head. "Never mind."

"I remember that," I said. "You asked her out at lunch that one day and she said no and splashed water at you, then took off." I patted him on the back. He went to hug me again and I crossed my arms in front of myself. "No, no, no!" I said. "Sorry, Renzo, but I don't want a repeat!"

"Sorry, Safaia," he apologized.

"Um…I—I've—" Konekomaru stuttered, raising his hand to get out attention. "I've thought of a formation the six of us could use to carry it for the moment." We all turned to him, ears prime for listening. "First, we'll load the peg lantern onto the cart," he said. "We'll have to seal it so it can't move once the fire has been lit.

"We'll place talismans on all four sides of the peg lantern's pedestal in order to seal it. Once we've placed the talismans onto the peg lantern directly, we'll continue chanting a Buddhist sutra to support its effects. Bon is the only one of us who can recite it perfectly." I saw Ryuji's chest puff out a little. So much for being a modest monk. "I can recite as well, but Bon's much better than me.

"Once the peg lantern is lit, it'll need a constant food supply to keep the fire going. We can use chuchi moths for its fuel. I think Safaia is the most capable for gathering the moths, with her familiars and better agility. She'll have the least amount of trouble with catching the moths out of all of us."

"One slight problem, Koneko-san," I said. "I don't have a flashlight anymore. The stupid moths broke mine."

"You can use mine," he said. "And the peg lantern's light should attract plenty of moths too. Because we'll have the lantern sealed in the cart, someone will have to feed it the moths Safaia catches. This'll be Shiemi's job.

"Once the peg lantern is lit, like I said, the chuchi will swarm to us and attack. Shima and I will act as guards to protect us all.

"And, finally, the one with the most horsepower of us all will be pulling the cart." Konekomaru gave Rin a small smile. "That's you, Rin."

Rin looked at the cart, then the lantern. "I think I'll be able to do it," he said. "Let's give it a try. Safaia, help me get this into the cart."

"Right." We went around to opposite ends of the lantern and hooked our hands underneath. Renzo and Ryuji hurried over to help us while Shiemi and Konekomaru lifted the cart so it was level and held it.

"On three," I said, holding tight to the lantern. "One, two, three!" The boys and I heaved the lantern up and managed to get it a little bit off the ground. I braced my legs and lifted like my life depended on it and the lantern rose higher, Rin and I taking most of the weight while Ryuji and Renzo mostly kept it from tipping. We maneuvered the lantern into the cart with just enough room for Shiemi to sit comfortably in front of it without being in danger of getting eaten. Rin hurried around to the front of the cart and took the handle from Konekomaru and Shiemi and held it steady as Konekomaru helped Shiemi into her spot.

"Ready, guys?" I asked, lighting my match. Ryuji held up the talisman sheets and a thumbs up.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Rin and Renzo chorused. Through the lantern hole, I saw Shiemi nod. I threw the match into the lantern and the fire bloomed to life, its flames flickering hungrily. I snatched a moth that was flapping around Koinu's head and threw it in the fire, which practically exploded in the lantern. Ryuji quickly slapped on the talismans and began chanting a Buddhist sutra, his fingers twining together to add strength to his words. Konekomaru and Renzo stood on either side of the cart, Konekomaru with rosary beads, Renzo with his staff. I ran on ahead with Konekomaru's flashlight, Koinu and Shoki in puppy-form at my heals, each with a backpack strapped to their backs. Shiemi had the third backpack we were going to use with her in the cart. It had a few of the bugs in it, but it wouldn't last long.

Movement caught my eye. "Here they come!" I cried, switching on the flashlight. Rin saw my signal and heard my warning and began to pull the cart. Grunting with effort, he started out slowly but caught up to me just as the bugs hit.

Renzo shrieked and twirled his staff, striking out at every bug that got too close for his comfort, which was each one in range of his staff. Konekomaru began chanting while the hellhounds and I hopped around, catching every bug we could and shoving them into Koinu's bag. Once their bags were full, Koinu and Shoki had instructions to run back to Shiemi and hop in with her, where she'd take the bag off their backs and trade it for the one she had with her. If we timed it right, she'd get the new bag just as she ran out in the old bag.

"Holy shit, that's amazing," I heard Renzo say as I flipped up into a tree, hanging upside down from a branch with my knees and catching a few bugs and shoving them in Koinu's bag as he leapt under me. I zipped it up again and sent him back to Shiemi and began to fill Shoki's bag. "What planet did they come from?" I flipped off the branch and jumped around, trying for the bigger moths that were slower and easier to catch.

"We can't let our guard down just yet," Konekomaru said. "The hardest part is yet to come."

"Hardest part?" Renzo squeaked.

A light went up in the sky and burst, its sound echoing across the forest to us. "Pretty," I commented before swinging down from my new position in another tree. "Someone's firework just went up!" I called to the others.

"I wonder who's given up?" Renzo said, looking up at the fading firework.

"Izumo or Takara?" Shiemi wondered.

I jumped to another tree and looked down the path we were on. I noticed a worn-out bridge across a riverbed of some sort and called to Rin. "Rin! Bridge!"

"I see it!" he cried. He and the cart came to a grinding halt before the bridge and we all gaped at it, wondering what to do next.

The bridge was obviously old. It was a rope bridge with wooden steps hanging off it, broken or gone, and the ropes were moldy and rubbed raw in some places, ready to snap at the lightest weight. The poles holding the ropes looked ready to collapse at any moment. Maybe that was why there were talismans all over it.

"Damn it, what are we going to do?" Rin cried. "It looks more like a ladder than a bridge! There's no way the cart's gonna be able to cross that!"

"Not just the cart," Konekomaru said quietly. "I doubt it's safe for people to cross either." Koinu tentatively sniffed a pole and it creaked threateningly, making him yelp and jump back.

Renzo peered down into the riverbed and shrieked in an octave I never thought he'd be able to reach. "Downtheredowntheredownthere!" he yelped, jumping back from the edge and holding onto his staff like it was a lifeline. "There's worms!" He wailed and clutched his staff tighter.

"Easy, Renzo," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Deep breaths, nice and easy. There, better?" He took deep, shaky breaths and stuttered, "T-T-T-T-T-T-That's it! No more!" He blinked and gulped a little. "Heh…I've pissed my pants." I yanked my hand away and stepped back, seeing the dark spot around his crotch and butt.

"Don't you feel better now that you've gone?" Rin asked, a little confused. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"Rin, that's not helping," Konekomaru reprimanded before I could. "You lose everything once you pee yourself."

Ryuji came around and yanked Renzo's staff from his grasp, still chanting the sutra. "Huh? Bon?" Renzo asked, confused. "What are you—" Ryuji plunged the staff into the riverbed of worms. Renzo wailed.

Getting what he was doing, I took the staff from my boyfriend. "Let me do it," I said at his questioning look. "We can't have you fall in and stop the sutra." He nodded and I tested the depth of the worm river.

"It's less than a meter," I said, gripping my hand around the staff once I'd judged the end had hit the bottom. I pulled it up and looked at the length below my hand. "Yeah, definitely less than a meter. We could wade through it." Renzo moaned and covered his face with his hands at my suggestion. I handed him back his staff and he grimaced and proceeded to wipe the bug guts off in the grass.

"That's the Sanskrit character for Khan…" Konekomaru said, inspecting the bridge as Ryuji pulled out a sketchbook. "There must be something sealed here as well. Everyone, watch out for the talismans and the ropes!"

"Yeah, Rin, don't touch them," I teased, giving my brother an affectionate nudge. "Or you might release the demon in there."

"Hey!" he protested.

A tapping sound made me turn. "Bon?" Konekomaru asked as I saw Ryuji hold up the sketchbook. _I've thought of something, _it read. Once everybody had read it, he flipped the page and wrote something else without breaking the sutra. _We'll let the peg lantern go over by itself._

"And just how do we do that?" I demanded, hands on my hips.

"Oh, I get it!" Konekomaru said. "I sort of understand what he means."

"Make more sense!" Rin cried. "My brain hurts!"

Ryuji rolled his eyes and flipped the page again, quickly scribbling down, _I'll draw it._

He took a minute, but soon he had all his drawings done and showed them to us. On the first page, he had a drawing of the bridge and riverbed with all of us standing around. Rin's character was in the riverbed with the cart over his head, while Konekomaru's character was crossing the bridge and mine was next to Rin's. Ryuji, Renzo, and Shiemi were on what I assumed to be the bank we were all on right now with the peg lantern between him and Shiemi. I noticed how mine and Ryuji's characters seemed to have little hearts drawn on their shirts. I smiled.

"Aw, so cute!" I said. "They're almost chibis! You're good at drawing, Ryuji-chan!" He blushed and tapped the sketchbook. I looked at the speech bubbles he'd also put in.

_First, Safaia, Koneko, and Okumura will move the cart across to the other side,_ the one on the right said. The left one said, _And since the bug swamp is fairly shallow, you can wade through it. It's probably safer than the bridge, anyway._

He flipped the page. _Konekomaru will be waiting on the opposite bank with a talisman._ Sure enough, there was a picture of Konekomaru, me, and Rin standing on the other bank, Konekomaru standing in the cart holding up what was labeled as a talisman. _On this side of the bank, Shima will wait with Moriyama-san riding piggyback._ There was a drawing of Shiemi on Renzo's shoulders across from where our characters stood.

Next drawing. _I'll unseal the peg lantern by taking off a talisman._ Ryuji's character held up another block again labeled as a talisman and the peg lantern had an exclamation point in its speech bubble. _And then Shima will run across to the other side while carrying Moriyama-san._ Renzo's character was in the part labeled "bug swamp" with Shiemi still on his shoulders.

Another flip. _The peg lantern will chase after Moriyama-san since it loves ladies, and with Safaia on the other bank, it'll definitely come._ A picture of Renzo shoving Shiemi into the cart with me and Konekomaru waiting in it. _And when it gets there…_

New page, with Konekomaru's character slapping a block on the peg lantern with him saying "Seal!"

"Suguro, you're drawings are freaking awesome!" Rin cried. "Nice one! Can you draw my picture for me?" Ryuji nodded and quickly sketched an ass and pointed at it with the marker. "Oh, ha ha, very funny," Rin said sarcastically.

"I don't know Rin, it's a pretty good likeness of you," I giggled, earning a glare.

"So, I'm sealing the peg lantern with a talisman, huh?" Konekomaru mused. "I think I can do that."

Renzo's shrill laugh made us all turn and look at him. "You're trying to tell me I'm going to be wading through a bug swamp?" he asked, half-laughing, half-hysterical. "Even though my head will be between Moriyama-san's thighs?" There were tears running down his face. "Ojou Shimasu—I will die."

"Shima-san, crossing over is a great way to get rid of your evil desires," Konekomaru tried to convince.

"Even you, Koneko-san? How cruel!" Renzo whined. He touched his face. "Look, I'm crying!" He held out his wet fingers for us to see.

Ryuji scratched something on the sketchbook. _You are so stubborn,_ it read.

I rolled my eyes. "For the love of God, Renzo, I'll do it. Peg lanterns like girls anyway, so it'll be sure to chase after me with Shiemi on my back."

"Aw, I wanted to do it," Rin pouted.

"Hell, no!" I snapped, slapping the back of his head. "You're almost as bad as Renzo! No way are you going to have Shiemi's thighs around you head, you sick pervert! _I'll_ give Shiemi a ride on my back."

Rin looked disappointed but didn't argue further. Renzo looked downright relieved, while Konekomaru and Ryuji looked impatient. Shiemi just stood there, unsure of what was going on.

"Let's get this show on the road again, boys," I said, clapping my hands. I motioned for Shiemi to follow me and I jumped down in the bug swamp, shuddering a little as the worms writhed against my legs. I walked around a little to see how hard it would be to move. I met little resistance but the worms were slippery to walk on. I'd have to be careful not to lose my balance.

Koinu and Shoki came to the edge of the bank. _We give you ride,_ Shoki said. _Not have to carry girl._

_It's ok,_ I told them silently, rubbing their heads affectionately. _You'd make it across in one bound, and I'm not sure if the peg lantern would stay interested that long for its prey to so easily escape. It's a bit riskier this way, but how about one of you give Renzo a lift over? That way you're on both banks in case I need you._

Grumbling a bit, they agreed and I told Renzo the plan. He gave me a grateful look and, once Koinu had grown enough so he could ride him across, climbed onto the hellhound's back and enjoyed a free ride across without having to touch any bugs.

"Climb aboard," I said to Shiemi, turning so she could climb on my back. There was a moment of hesitation before I felt her weight on my back and her arms wrapping tightly around my neck. "Ack, Shiemi!" I cried before she all but choked me. "Air! Air!"

"Sorry!" she yelped, a little panicky. Her arms quickly loosened and I gasped for air.

"Don't do that," I said. I hooked my hands under her knees. "We're ready, Ryuji!" I called.

"We're ready to go over here!" Konekomaru yelled from his, Rin's, and Renzo's position on the opposite side of the bank.

"Alright! Let's get this show on the road!" Ryuji yelled, tearing off the last talisman that kept the peg lantern with him. Shiemi and I turned and watched and waited for our flaming predator to notice us and come try to eat us.

"Hubba…" I heard the peg lantern say. A heart appeared in each of the circles that were on either side of the hole where you could see the fire burning. I tensed, ready to run as soon as it moved. "HUBBA!" It barreled toward us and I yelped. I took off through the worms, feeling them squish under my shoes.

"This way! This way!" Shiemi called, looking back at our pursuer.

"Are you insane?" I puffed under her not-so-light weight. Damn, what did this girl eat, Bariyons? "Don't call to it!"

"I'm trying to keep its attention!" she told me quickly. "Come on, lantern! This way!" I growled and kept sloshing.

My foot went deeper into the worms than it was supposed to and I halted, struggling to get my foot out. Damn! Less than halfway to the bank!

The lantern was almost to us. "HUBBA!" it cried.

I thought fast. "Rin! Renzo! Catch!" I hollered, slipping Shiemi off my back and tossing her to the guys. They caught her and steadied her, helping her run around to the front of the cart.

I could almost feel the fire of the peg lantern breathing down my neck. "Safaia!" Ryuji yelled.

Now that I had less weight, I was able to yank my foot out from the worms, having the ones attached go flying out in front of me. Once actually made it to Renzo and he shrieked, jumping back. Without the circumstances, I probably would've laughed my ass off. Instead, I jumped up high in the air, flipped, and landed on top of the peg lantern, wrapping my arms tightly around the peak on its top. It stopped in the bug swamp, confused of where its prey had gone and unsure of what to do next.

The fire within it must've heated its stone outside up, because it nearly burned my skin. I bit my lip in pain and brought my flames up just under my skin, fighting heat with heat. Holding onto the small peak on top, I dangled my foot over the edge and wiggled it in the direction of the cart. "Here, lantern," I called, giving Shiemi a nod to do the same.

"O-Over here!" she cried, waving her arms in the air.

The peg lantern yelled, "Hubba!" again and bounded after my foot and Shiemi.

"Whoa!" I yelped, nearly falling off from the lantern's jumpy gait. I struggled to keep my foot in the right direction, but it seemed preoccupied with Shiemi, so I pulled it back up and switched my position around so I was ready to jump off.

"Get ready Koneko!" I howled, gripping the peg lantern tightly and crouching on top. The lantern jumped up on the edge of the bank and right into the cart. Konekomaru jumped up and slapped a talisman on it right as I pushed off and landed on the ground in a roll. Konekomaru started chanting the sutra that Ryuji had left off at, sealing the peg lantern back into the cart.

"Holy crap," I panted, shivering and covered with sweat. I pushed my flames back down into their cage in my mind and pulled my wet, dangling hair that had come out if its ponytail out of my eyes. "It worked." I stood up shakily. "Ryuji, your plan worked!"

Renzo cheered. "All right! That was great! Except for the worms…"

Rin patted me on the back. "Nice work, sis," he said, grinning.

Ryuji and Shoki ran across the small bridge. He scooped me up in a hug while Shoki and Koinu hopped around my legs, scolding me for scaring them. Ryuji suddenly leaned in and kissed me fiercely, his lips warm and rough yet sweet on mine. "Damn it, don't _do_ that," he said, pulling away after a moment and gently pushing my shocked head to his shoulder.

"Do what?" I asked dumbly, shocked that he'd kissed me in front of everyone.

"Scare me like that," he said, not letting me go. I wasn't complaining. Instead, I wrapped my arms around his middle. "I thought that peg lantern had you for sure."

I couldn't help but laugh a little and pull away, though still in his embrace. "Teach you to underestimate me," I teased, smiling. He blushed and let me go, turning to where everyone else was standing with the lantern. Konekomaru had his back to us, still chanting the sutra. Renzo was standing awkwardly to one side, trying not to look at us. Shiemi had confusion and innocence written all over her face, and Rin looked downright furious and about to snap someone's, probably Ryuji's, neck.

"You guys done with your make-out session?" Renzo teased, looking back at us.

"Yeah, and you didn't have to peek, pervert," I said, giving him a good-natured grin. "We don't watch you and all your lady friends having fun at lunch, so don't watch us." Renzo turned pink and said nothing more.

Rin, however, looked like he had plenty to say, but I cut him off before he could. "Zip it, Rin," I said, glaring at him. He deflated a little and opened his mouth again to protest. "Say one word about it and have your balls chopped off. And I don't make stupid threats."

"She really doesn't," Ryuji emphasized.

Rin bit his lip and took a deep breath. "Let's get going," he grunted, turning to the cart. "I wanna get back to camp and maybe get some sleep tonight."

I sighed in relief. "Yeah, right, let's go," I agreed, heading for my spot in front of Rin. "Everybody back to your positions!" Koinu and Shoki quickly bounded up to me, tails waving, while Renzo and Konekomaru took their places on either side of the cart and Ryuji picked up the sutra chant, heading for the back. Shiemi crawled into the cart with the lantern and snatched up a chuchi moth that fluttered by and shoved it in the flames.

"Everybody ready?" Rin called back behind him.

"We're good to go!" Konekomaru told him.

Grunting with effort, Rin started to pull the cart towards me. I turned and decided to wait. Koinu and Shoki were already ahead, snapping up moths and running them back to Shiemi. I could wait here a few moments for Rin to get going and caught up to me.

I heard something snap and saw the bridge start to collapse. Something suddenly reared out from under it. I didn't have time to discern what it was, just that it was going for the thing closest to it. And that happened to be—Ryuji.

I didn't think. I couldn't. There wasn't enough time to ponder the stupidity of rushing to him to put him out of harm's way and put myself in his place. In a flash, faster than I thought was possible even with my demon speed, I was by his side, shoving him roughly out of the way just as the thing reached for him and instead picked up me.

The thing swung me high in the air and I twisted my head to see my captor. It was a giant chuchi moth! It had a tentacle-thing around each of my wrists and my ankles.

"You stupid bug, let me go!" I shrieked. Apparently it didn't take to kindly to being called stupid. Two more tentacle things shot out of its mouth and wrapped around my mouth and middle. The one around my middle slowly slithered up my shirt, cold and wet and covered in mucus. I screeched against the living gag and wriggled trying to get free.

"Safaia!" Rin cried, running from his position at the front of the cart. Snarling, he pulled out his wooden practice sword and charged the monster bug, hitting it on the head hard, right between its ginormous eyes. The moth squealed and dropped me, reaching for Rin instead.

For all the great reflexes I had, being dropped and having to land by myself was not one. I yelped and closed my eyes, ready to break my butt on the unforgiving ground.

"Safaia!" Ryuji called, echoing Rin. I cracked open an eyelid and saw him running to me, arms open to catch me a split second before I landed in them, nearly making him lose his balance. He held me, bridal-style, to his chest for a moment before setting me back on my feet. "You ok?" he asked, frantically looking me over.

"I-I think so," I said, pulling down my shirt. "Ugh, that was horrible!" I shuddered.

"Safaia!" Rin called again. I looked up to see his hands and ankles bound like mine had been. "Take the others and go on ahead! I'll be fine! I'll catch up as soon as I've defeated it! The night's nearly over! Hurry!"

I opened my mouth to answer but Ryuji beat me to it. "You're doing it again!" he yelled face full of anger and frustration.

"Sorry!" Rin called back, giving him an apologetic smile.

"Ryuji, come on," I said, tugging his arm. "Rin can handle this himself. Hell, I could've handled it without his interference. How about this? To make sure he's ok, I'll stay back while you guys go on ahead. Once the bug is gone we'll catch up, ok?"

He jerked his arm away and glared at both of us. "You two need to get your heads examined!" he exclaimed. "As if we wouldn't help you out!" I took a step back, shocked and wondering just how the hell we'd get rid of the bug without using our flames in front of everyone.

"Renzo!" Ryuji demanded, turning to the pink haired boy in question. "Gimme your staff!"

"Sure, just don't break it," he said, tossing it to his friend. Ryuji caught it and yelled, "Get ready to run away!" He pulled out a talisman and forced it onto the top of the staff, chucking said staff at the huge moth. The moth shrieked as the staff hit it just below its left eye. "Homage to the all-pervading vajras!" Ryuji yelled, twining his fingers together and touching the tips of his right thumb and index finger to his left ones. "Destroy!" Lighting shot from the staff up into the sky, burning the moth into letting Rin go. My brother tumbled down in a heap, but without the loving savior that I'd had.

"K'rik!" Ryuji yelled, and the staff literally flew back to his hand, minus the talisman.

"Holy crap!" Rin said, pulling up from the worms on which he'd landed on. The moth had actually thrown me a little so I had gone towards the ground rather than just the straight drop Rin had had to deal with.

"Hurry up and get up here!" Ryuji snapped, holding out a hand to Rin. He took it and Ryuji hauled him up onto the bank, saying, "I'm at the end of my rope. This is all I can do!"

"Didn't you just kick its ass?" Rin asked.

Ryuji yanked him toward the cart, spying the moth start to rear its head the same time I did. "HAUL ASS!" we howled in unison. Rin and I jumped for the cart and squeezed in behind the handle together, pulling it as fast as we could. Ryuji, Renzo, and Konekomaru kept up with us, Konekomaru again chanting the sutra. Ryuji was right next to us on my side.

"Thanks!" Rin yelled over the clatter of the cart.

"Yeah, that goes double for me, Ryuji!" I panted.

"Don't thank me!" he snapped. "I was only paying you back?"

"Paying us back?" Rin asked.

"You saved me," he said simply. He looked at me. "You did it twice, once in the forest with that ghoul and again during the Exwire exam."

He looked away again. "And Rin…to have the same childish desire of 'defeating Satan' as me…and yet you yelled it without any embarrassment!"

"It doesn't look like it's chasing us anymore," Konekomaru said, slowing down.

"Let's rest for a sec," Ryuji said, copying him and grabbing the handle to help me and Rin stop the two-ton lantern in a cart.

I placed my hands behind my head and took three, deep, even breaths, and just like that my breathing was back to normal. Superior agility sure had its perks. I was hardly out of breath from that spur-of-the-moment run.

"Well, I tend not to think too deeply about that sort of stuff," Rin said, crossing his arms over his chest while Ryuji sniffed his armpit, for some reason.

"Rin, you honestly tend not to think too deeply about anything," I said, stretching. He shot me a glare and was about to protest when Ryuji broke it.

"You know," he said, grabbing mine and Rin's attention, "I don't think you're stupid. But, you know, stop trying to fix everything yourselves! Don't forget you have friends. People that care about you." He came over and slid his arm around my waist.

"That's right!" Konekomaru said. "If you're going to defeat Satan and become the first real Rogue in the last two hundred years, you can't do it yourself. Who are you kidding?"

Renzo laughed, but it wasn't hysterical this time. "Trust Bon to say something that good," he said. "Although I'm going to be pretty useless when it comes to bugs. Satan's pretty much out of my league too, but what the hell, if you two are going to try, I might as well give it a shot!"

"Everyone's with you, Rin and Safaia!" Shiemi said, climbing out of her seat and smiling at us.

Rin gave her a weak smile in return. "Yeah," he said.

"Thanks, you guys," I said, feeling a twinge of guilt. What if they found out about us having Satan's flames, being Satan's kids? I snuggled closer to Ryuji and placed a hand on his chest, feeling his strong heart beat beneath. His arm tightened around me and pulled me close.

"Don't you ever forget that I love you," he breathed in my ear, hugging me tight. "You don't have to fight alone. If it's your fight, it's mine too. Remember that."

Close to tears, I buried my face in his chest and gripped his shirt tighter. "I won't," I choked. I felt his lips press against my hair and he ran his free hand through it, soothing me. When I felt the tears disappear without coming from my eyes, I pulled back and said, "Let's get moving, everybody. The night's already half over and we still gotta get this stupid lantern back to camp."

"Let's go!" Ryuji barked, and everyone scrambled back to their respective places and we moved out.

* * *

><p>Just over a half hour later, we pulled into camp. "Hooray, we made it back, safe and sound!" Renzo cheered. "No more bugs! No more bugs! No more bugs!"<p>

"Hey Renzo," I grinned evilly. "Look what I kept as a souvenir." I dangled a worm from the bug swamp in his face and he shrieked, jumping back and clutching his staff close. I laughed and tossed the worm outside the protective circle and into the forest where it belonged.

"Oh, good work," Shura said, sauntering over. "Yer managed to make it back all right."

I spotted two lanterns behind her that were similar to ours with Izumo and Takara crouching by the fire in front of them.

"What?" Ryuji yelled. "You guys already passed?"

"You're slow," Izumo said. "I just used my familiars. Takara got here before me, though."

"Wanna call me slow again, bitch?" I snapped, glaring at her. "You and me, foot race, right now."

"Deal, hag," she said, standing up. "I hope you like eating dust, 'cause guess what you're getting for a midnight snack?"

"Hmph, I move so fast, the dust won't move so you'll have to pick it up yourself if you want to eat it," I growled, sketching out a line in the dirt. "From here to this tree," I said before she could make a retort. "Whoever wins is faster."

"Let's do this," she said, crouching down next to me, fingers on the line.

"How about let's not?" Shura said, swiping her foot over the line and making us pull our fingers back so they wouldn't get stomped on. "I'm not in the mood to deal with another cat fight, so you two had better stop it or you'll be doing pushups until this camp is over." The look on her face made us immediately apologize and stand up, promising not to get into another fight.

Shura looked around. "Huh? Just wait a minute. Isn't this everyone?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Now that you mention it…" I muttered, doing a quick headcount. "Everybody's here and no one's given up."

"Exactly," she said, looking around with her hands on her hips. "So who set off that firework?"

Shiemi flinched and rubbed her neck. "Ow," she said.

"Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…" an obnoxious yet easily recognizable voice said from up above. I jerked my head skyward and watched as Amaimon landed just outside the protective circle. "Daaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" he finished. "Go, Behemoth!" A giant goblin that had been attached to a chain leash was set free and charged us.

"Oh, holy hell," I said, eyes wide. "We are in deep shit."


	18. Chapter 16

I tensed, ready to combat the charging demon that Amaimon had sent at us.

My demon-sensing powers had other ideas. My skin lit on fire on the inside, practically cooking me alive and making my guts roll from the sudden heat. I howled in pain and dropped to my hands and knees, kicking off my shoes and socks.

As soon as my hands hit the dirt I screamed again. That'd been a bad idea, the small rocks in the dirt touched my skin and made the pain more intense. I moaned and bit my lip, trying to distract myself from the pain.

"Safaia!" Ryuji cried, kneeling down next to me. He reached out a hand.

"Don't!" I warned, flinching away and groaning as my shirt brushed against my arms. Every word hurt to say with my burning lips. It was like they were severely chapped, but a hundred times worse and definitely more dangerous if I got too distracted. "I might…burn you! It's…it's his power! He must've…been the one…that day…" He nodded, getting what I was saying.

"Get yer thumbs outta yer asses!" Shura snapped. I looked up to see her drawing her sword from her tattoo. She swung her blade and an air current like the one she'd fought me and Rin with hit the goblin square in its drooling mouth. "I got tired of waitin' for yer." She put her hand to her mouth and whistled.

A snake glowing in fire with markings on its neck unburied itself behind me, Ryuji, and Izumo, making them jump and me stare curiously at it through my pain. "A-A snake?" Izumo yelped.

The snake hissed and a ring of fire appeared around it with four lines of fire pointing in the cardinal directions. Suddenly the barrier circle glowed bright, and its power sent Amaimon and his goblin flying back into the trees.

I felt immediate relief. The heat receded back into the barrier with my flames.

And then the night air, which had felt comfortable before, was chilling now. I shivered.

"I drew the magic circle to protect anyone standing inside it," Shura explained, wiping her brow. "It's a protective barrier that'll repel just about anything. We'll be safe for the moment."

"Hey!" Ryuji said. "A protective barrier? The hell?"

"So this is also part of our training?" Renzo asked, confused. "Don't you think this is a little too hard?"

"More importantly, what the hell was that thing just now?" Izumo cried.

"It's the end of training for us," Shura said seriously. "From now on, we're gonna be preparing against Amaimon's attacks."

"Huh? Amai…?" Izumo trailed off.

"Amaimon," I said. "One of the demon kings. He's the king of the earth. A real big shot and probably pretty much impossible for any normal Exorcist to beat. He's a fan of sweets."

"_He's_ the demon we just saw?" she exclaimed.

"Yep," I said.

"Oh shit. We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"For once, you and I can agree on something." I gave her a grim look.

"Let's make it the last," she muttered.

"I got no problem with that," I said, nodding.

Ryuji looked at my shivering huddle in the dirt. "Shit," he swore, and retrieved his backpack form where he'd dumped it once we'd made it back to camp. He dug through it and pulled out a grey zip-up hoodie.

"Here," he said, wrapping me up in it. "That should keep you from getting too cold."

"Thanks," I chattered, pushing my arms through the sleeves and hugging it closer.

"Come on," he said. He helped me to my feet and brought me closer to the fire, having me sit before it and soak up its warmth.

"I'll hafta use triple C concentrate holy water to help reinforce the protection," Shura said, digging through her bag. "C'mere, everyone. C'mon, line up!" She pulled out what looked like a gasoline jug but was labeled "CCC." She opened it and began tossing the holy water onto everyone, saving me and Rin for last.

I flinched and Rin closed his eyes, scrunching up his face, as she reared back to splash us. At the last second, she pulled back and the water sloshed harmlessly in the jug. "Oops," she said. "That was close. We'd a been screwed if I'd a splashed any on ya." Through his flopped down hair, Ryuji gave us funny looks.

"In the beginning, God created heaven and earth," Shura chanted, moving her hands in a cross. "All right. Now that that's done, no matter what happens to ya, any damage you receive is gonna be minimized until the holy water dries."

"Aren't you gonna put any on Safaia or Okumura?" Ryuji asked, looking at us.

"Well, you see, uh…" Shura said. "Their allergic to holy water!"

"Allergic to holy water?" Ryuji snapped, glaring at Rin and giving me a confused look. "I've never heard of that!"

"It's rare," I said. "Holy water makes our skin itch and we get a rash if we touch it, so be careful when you hold me, ok Ryuji?" Not a total lie. Rin had gotten a rash after Neuhaus had sprayed him with the holy water bomb, but it hadn't lasted more than a day or two.

He frowned but complied. "All right," he said, but he didn't look like he completely bought it. He came over and sat down next to me, wrapping an arm around my waist, careful not to let his soaking wet body touch me so not to cause an "allergic reaction."

"A-Anyway, what about Yukio?" Rin asked, looking at Shura.

"Now that you mention it," Renzo said while the rest of us gathered around the fire. "I don't see him."

"He was just gonna get in the way so I had him go off somewhere," Shura said, tossing her beer can into the fire and watching it with interest, like a cat watching its caught prey struggle.

"_What_?" I yelped. "He's out there, alone? And with Amaimon after us?"

She shrugged. "He'll be all right," she said. "He's a big boy and can handle himself."

"I'm holding you responsible if we find him as a corpse," I grumbled.

Izumo pulled out her phone. After a minute, she pulled it away from her ear and said, "I can't get in contact with him." She glared at Shura.

"Thanks for trying," I said, tugging Ryuji's jacket around me tighter.

"Don't mention it," she said. "And don't ever thank me again."

"Not a problem," I said.

"So, what's Amaimon planning?" Ryuji asked, looking over at a still slightly-drunk Shura, who had crashed by the tent that had the cooler in front of it. She pulled out a beer and opened it.

"I dunno," she said. "I wondah whaaaat?" She took a gulp of the alcohol and burped.

I frowned and stood up. Ryuji made to come with me but I shook my head. He sat back down, frowning but staying by the fire. Rin followed me over to Shura.

"Hey," I said. "I think we were Amaimon's targets. He wants a rematch against us."

"I already know that," she said. "So stop worrying. I specifically set up this barrier to keep him out. Just go back and sit down." She paused. "Still, he does seem to have a ton of strategies this time around…" She crooked a finger and we knelt down closer. "The next time Amaimon attacks, I want you two to immediately leave here with the Kurikara and your knives."

Our eyes widened in surprise. "The Kurikara?" Rin said.

"My knives?" I whispered, hopeful.

Shura put her free hand right above her belly tattoo. "Go below there and you will arrive at where he is at," she chanted. Rin's sword case slid out and she grabbed it, holding it out to us. "Here yer go. Yer knives should be in there too, Safaia."

We hesitated.

"What's wrong?" she asked irritably. "Take it."

"Didn't you say you'd only give them back to us if we defeated you?" Rin blurted.

"My other condition was I could give 'em back accordin' to my judgment," she said. "So what's wrong? Take 'em! I already told yer I'd give 'em back."

"You wanted us to suppress our flames, right?" Rin snapped. "You advised us to 'put out our flames,' didn't you?"

"Stupid," I said, nudging him. "You used them anyway, didn't you?"

"Yeah, well, what about you?" he grumbled.

"Not once," I said. He opened his mouth to protest, thought about it, and shut it again. "Told you." Shura laughed.

She suddenly grew serious again. "To sum it up," she said, "if guys like yer don't have any flames, how're yer gonna fight? Sure, Safaia's got her demons, but they're only as powerful as she can be without lettin' her flames out for God and everybody to see. Amaimon's no small fry. Ya ever think of that?" She paused, waiting for an answer from Rin that didn't come. "Then try thinkin' for a change!"

"Moriyama-san?"

We turned at the sound of Renzo's voice to see Shiemi walking away, her back to us and her feet about to cross the protective circle.

"Hey!" Ryuji called to her.

"What's she doing?" Izumo asked, watching her walk away.

"Shiemi!" Rin and I yelled.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY!" Shura yelped, jumping up and running to the girl, the Kurikara's case still in her hand. "Stop right there!" Rin, Ryuji, and I hurried after her, intent on making the platinum blond stop.

My sensors made me stumble and nearly fall to my knees again. I bit my lip and forced the pain back. Shiemi was what was important right now, especially if Amaimon was back.

Speaking of the Devil Prince, he dropped down in front of Shiemi and held out a hand to her. She stepped over the boundary of the protective circle and took it.

"Shiemi!" Rin cried, heading forward. Shura's blade swung out and stopped him, leveled at his chest to keep him back.

"What did you do to her?" she asked in a voice that was scarily calm.

"I had a female chuchi lay eggs inside of her," my half-brother said, pulling the girl close. "Although it took a while from incubation until they were parasitically living on her nervous system," he continued, forcing her to lean her head on his shoulder and placing his hand on her head, his hand steaming from the holy water, though he didn't seem to notice, "right now this girl will only obey my commands."

"You sick bastard!" I yelled, doing my best to ignore my pain from his closeness. "You're a sick, twisted bastard!" It took all my control not to send a humongous fireball his way. The only things that stopped me was Shiemi, who was right next to him and would most likely get caught up in the flames' hunger, and the others. I couldn't risk showing them my power.

"Shiemi!" Rin cried again as Amaimon kneeled down next to the stock-still girl.

"Come on," the Earth King said, lifting her up onto his shoulder. "Boing!" He jumped, leaping away from tree to tree. My pain started to disappear with each leap, backing off and letting me let go of a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

"God damn it! C'mon, Rin!" I snapped, snatching the Kurikara case from Shura and leaping out of the circle. "The rest of you, stay here! We'll be back, just have to kick some Demon Prince ass!"

"Safaia! You idiot! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Ryuji yelled after me.

"You had better stay this time, Ryuji!" I yelled back, looking over my shoulder and stopping when I reached the tree line. I yanked out my knives and tossed the sword and case to Rin as he ran past, not saying a word and staying on Amaimon's trail. I pointed to my boyfriend. "I mean it! You stay here with the others and don't cross that line no matter what! You got it?" Not waiting for an answer, I turned and hurried after my brother, leaving the others a little dumbstruck and confused.

"This way," I said once I caught up to him. "Head right a little. He's leading us away from the others and the Academy." He only nodded and followed me as I led us to our prey.

"Stop!" I cried, screeching to a stop and looking up. Rin bumped into me and followed my gaze up to Amaimon sitting on a tree branch with Shiemi on one knee.

"Damn you Amaimon, what are you gonna do to Shiemi?" I growled, glaring at the demon in question.

"What should I do?" he said, as if this was only as far as he'd thought. "Hmm…" His face suddenly perked up, as much as an emo face can perk up, anyway. "I know. I'll make her my bride."

"What? Bastard!" Rin snapped before I could.

"Now that that's decided, it's time for the vows," he said, ignoring us. He propped Shiemi up a little more and recited, "Do you take me, in sickness and in health, to love, to honor, to beat, to cook for, and help?" I felt my jaw drop. What kind of wedding vows were these? They sounded a bit improvised. "Do you swear, to uphold this vow, till death do us part?" At least he got that part right. Shiemi nodded to him blankly. "Now, let's seal our vow with me biting your lips off."

Rin leapt up and swung the still-incased sword at Amaimon, striking his head. "Don't screw around!" he howled.

"'Don't screw around,'" Amaimon repeated, "is my line!"

"Rin!" I cried, seeing the danger two split seconds before it happened. In a flash I was in front of Rin, taking the full force of Amaimon's kick that sent us flying back about half a mile.

I gasped for air as I flew back, Rin pressed against my back. That kick had _hurt_. I wanted to feel for any broken ribs, but Amaimon was coming up fast. "What's the use of the sword and knives if you don't use them?" he asked, easily keeping up with us as we fell. "Why don't you unsheathe them?"

"Piss…off," I grunted once I had some breath back in my lungs. I flipped around, landing on my feet and hands on a tree branch. "And give us back our friend!" I jumped and charged him, using my demon speed to make me appear in front of him in the blink of an eye. He casually grabbed my face with his free hand and forced me headfirst down to the ground, next to where Rin had crashed-landed in a rock pile.

"Please stop trying to be so mysterious," he said. He picked up a rock, or more correctly, a boulder, and smashed it onto my chest. I moaned and struggled to force it off, gasping for air. He picked it up again and did the same to Rin, who was face down instead of on his back like me. "How strange," he said. "Isn't this human girl important to you? Should I go for the boy with the two-colored hair instead?" He kicked the rock away.

"Drop dead!" Rin said around a mouthful of blood.

"I thought I told you to piss off," I grunted, spitting on the rock and sitting up, wincing as pain shot through my chest. I was pretty sure I had at least one broken rib, and I'd have to get it set soon so it wouldn't heal crooked.

I glared at Amaimon. Damn! We had to end this before it got out of hand.

Amaimon cocked his head at us curiously. "Oh?" he said. "Looks like this girl is useless to me now. Perhaps the boy is, too." He raised a clawed hand and pointed two fingers at Shiemi's face. "Since I've already gone to all this effort, I might as well take one of her eyes. My cousin loves the occult and asked me to get her some for her collection. I'm sure she'll love the light green color."

"Stop!" Rin cried as his hand neared Shiemi's face.

A high pitched whistling sound came from just slightly to my right and a firework exploded just below Amaimon's feet, sending colorful sparks bouncing across the rocks.

I looked over at the direction the firework had come from and saw Ryuji, Renzo, and Konekomaru standing at the base of the rocks, Ryuji holding the used firework. Konekomaru and Renzo each had another in their hands, holding matches in their free ones.

"We've been feeling a little left out," Ryuji said, glaring at Amaimon. "Oh, and step away from my girlfriend, you bag of shit. While you're at it, drop Moriyama, too."

"Ryuji, you damned idiot!" I yelled at him, ignoring the pain in my chest. "I told you to stay in the circle no matter what!"

"Just get the hell outta here as soon as you get the chance!" he yelled back.

"We're going to save Shiemi no matter what, all right?" Rin called. "Just get outta here!"

"We've got it under control!" I told him as Renzo's firework whizzed past, completely missing Amaimon.

Konekomaru yelped as his firework went off. Instead of missing Amaimon, like the others' had, his hit Amaimon on his hair spike, making it poof out and look like a chunk of broccoli.

"Oh shit! It slipped through my hand!" Konekomaru cried, shaking.

"Koneko-san!" Renzo yelled, pointing at him. "That's an awful thing to do to Moriyama-san!" Suddenly they all noticed Amaimon's new hairdo.

Renzo did a damn good spit take and started laughing hard. "He looks like a broccoli!" he snorted before covering his mouth.

"Shima!" Ryuji scolded. Amaimon jumped.

"Ren—" I started before Amaimon landed in front of the pink haired boy and kicked him into a tree thirty feet away.

"Shima!" Ryuji and Konekomaru yelled.

"Renzo! Wake up, pervert!" I yelled, grunting in chest pain. "Wake up, dammit! Look, Shiemi's boobs!" He coughed. I grimaced. "Good enough."

Amaimon was in front of Ryuji next. Konekomaru jumped in front of him, arms wide. "Neko!" Ryuji said.

Amaimon stared at the boy and tapped his arm at the elbow. Konekomaru screamed in pain and clutched his arm, which I could see was broken and bent at a bad angle. "Konekomaru!" Ryuji cried.

Amaimon grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him up, his feet dangling about a foot off the ground. "Don't laugh at me," he said simply. Ryuji feebly grabbed his wrist and coughed.

"It's none of your business," he grunted. "The one that pissed me off…was you, Okumura!" Rin blinked. "And dammit Safaia, you kinda ticked me off, too, with the way you guys always been acting like this! You're always running off to save people without ever thinking of yourselves! You don't have special powers yet you do amazing things! You're enigmas…what are you?"

"What?" I asked, dumbstruck.

"I…I'm…" Rin struggled, just as shocked as I was.

"What are you talking about?" Amaimon asked, tightening his grip and making Ryuji spit blood. "I dislike being ignored, you know." Ryuji coughed and a few bubbles of blood floated out of his mouth and popped on the ground.

Anger boiled within me. "Ryuji!" I cried. "Dammit, Amaimon! You've just pissed off the wrong girl!" I struggled to my feet and gripped the hilts of my knives. Rin stood up with me and held out his sword.

I looked at every one of my friends, lying broken and beaten on the battlefield. My eyes went to Ryuji first.

_Don't forget you have friends. People that care about you._

Konekomaru, holding his arm and trying not to cry, was next.

_You can't do it yourself. Who are you kidding?_

I glanced at Renzo, huddled up against the tree and trying to catch his breath.

_Be sure to sit next to me during the ceremony, Safaia-chan! ...I'll wait with you. I don't want you out here all by your lonesome._

My sight flicked to Ryuji again for a moment on their way to Shiemi, who was still on Amaimon's arm, looking dazed.

_If it's your fight, it's mine too._

_Everyone's with you, Rin and Safaia!_

Ryuji again.

_Don't you ever forget that I love you._

I felt my face sadden. _I'm sorry, everyone_, I thought. I looked sorrowfully at Ryuji. _I'm especially sorry, Ryuji. I never wanted to hurt you, ever._

"Nee-san!" Yukio's voice rang out. I saw him standing off to the side in the corner of my eye. "Brother, sister! It's a trap! Don't give in to him!"

"I'm tired of hiding!" I cried, looking down at my feet. "Damn it, we've been lying and playing dumb all this time, Yukio! We have to face the truth." I jerked my head to our friends. "They have a right to know." I tightened my hold on my knives and looked at Ryuji, apology written all over my face. "Ryuji, I'm sorry you have to see this. Remember, I always loved you. Truly." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "_Amaimon!_" I simultaneously drew my knives and broke down the barrier in my mind, letting my flames roam free across my body. They erupted in a column, stretching to the sky. "_You're a dead demon!_"

In a flash, even faster than I had been before, I was in between Amaimon and Ryuji, my fist coming fast and hard into Amaimon's gut, the hilt of my knife in the palm of my hand, adding power and solidity to the blow. He dropped Ryuji and Shiemi when I hit him and I sent him across the forest, past Renzo and smacking into a tree, his face full of wonder, surprise, and I think a little happiness.

I hesitated, my back to Ryuji. I could feel his eyes boring into my back. "Ryuji," I murmured. "I'm so sorry." I peeked over my shoulder at him. He was on his knees, holding his throat. Blood trickled down his chin. His face was full of surprise and fear. I flinched and turned towards Amaimon again. "I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but…I'm so sorry." I saw Amaimon standing up and I sped towards him, wind tearing my hair back and making my eyes water even more than they had already started.

My knife hilt connected with his cheek just as he stood up again, making him smack through the tree. He caught my wrist as I went to hit him again and he grinned. "Yay, you want to play, now!" he said, slashing his claw-like nails at my face. I ducked back and brought my knee up between his legs. He saw it coming and wriggled his way free from between me and the tree, backing up a little before charging me again.

Suddenly Rin and the Kurikara were between us, sharp end of the katana pointed at Amaimon. He saw it and jumped over it, his stomach almost touching it as he passed over. I took my chance and brought the hilt of my knife down on his head, driving him into the ground.

The ground seemed to swallow him up and spit him back out again, straight up. "Get back here, coward!" I yelled. "You wanted a fight, so let's fight!" I jumped after him, Rin right behind me.

I brandished my knives, fire crackling and reaching out for my foe. I swung them, making an X with my arms before almost hugging myself. Rin swung his sword at Amaimon too. Twin arcs of blue fire charged Amaimon, exploding together and lighting up the forest, burning the tops of the trees.

Amaimon cackled, spinning end over end from the shockwave the exploding flames had created, unharmed. "It's so beautiful!" he cried madly. I snarled and flashed in front of him. He blinked in surprise and went to dig his claws into my stomach. Rin landed on his back and forced the Kurikara into him, making his hand go to the side and narrowly miss my kidney instead of hitting my gut.

Howling like the insane beast I'd become, I shoved my knives into his chest on either side of his heart and cranked up the flame output.

The world turned blue, bright and nearly white, almost blinding me. I bared my teeth in a snarl and let go of my right hand knife, covering my eyes but not letting up on the flames. Amaimon screamed in pain and snatched at my tails, catching the pointed one, which was trying to hit him, and pulled hard. I screeched and kicked away, yanking my left hand knife out as I pushed away. He let go of my tail and forced Rin off him next in the same manner. My brother and I retreated to a tree while Amaimon, still smoldering, took up a tree a few meters across from us.

Amaimon pulled my other knife out of his chest and whipped it at me, spinning so fast no normal human could've seen it. I caught it by the hilt just as it reached my head, stopping it from digging into my eye. I didn't even bother to wipe the blood off, just chucked it back at him, faster than he'd thrown it. It buried itself into the spot right below his knee, blood leaking from around it as he yelled in pain.

Rin charged him, swinging his sword for all he had. He knocked Amaimon out of the tree and began to force him to the ground again, a plume of flames swallowing them up. I roared and followed, throwing my knife at Amaimon's head. He somehow sensed it coming and turned his head to the left just enough for the knife to miss and hit his right shoulder instead. Amaimon howled and stood up, pulling out the two daggers lodged in his body. Baring his teeth, he threw them back at me, one for my head, the other for my stomach. I caught them both and glared into his hate-filled eyes.

Rin and I charged, our blades reaching out, our fire hungering for more of Amaimon's blood. _Consume,_ they whispered to me._ Burn everything. You are a beast that burns everything to the ground! It is your nature! Refuse it no longer!_

I roared and was just about to cut off Amaimon's hand when a thick metal rope coiled itself around my wrists and tightened, forcing them together. I blinked in surprise and looked up to see Mephisto holding three ropes, one being mine and the other two attached to Amaimon and Rin, holding their wrists in a similar fashion to mine.

"All right, this has gone on long enough," he said, somehow using the ropes to force us farther apart. "At this rate my school will be reduced to rubble! This is the end of today's game."


	19. Chapter 17

**Max: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaacckkk!**

**Safaia: *Claps slowly* Yay. My torture sessions have begun again.**

**Max: You're just upset because nobody has any questions for you.**

**Safaia: ...Kinda true, actually.**

**Max: Anyway, sorry about that long wait. The website where I read manga wouldn't let me read Ao No Exorcist, so I had to go to Barnes & Noble to get them. But now that I have Volumes 2 through 7 and I'm on summer break, I should be able to update somewhat regularly if I can ever get my lazy ass to Word to type.**

**Safaia: Don't you have something else to tell them?**

**Max: Oh yeah! I'm up to 130 pages of this shiz in Word! WHOOOOOHOOOOOO!**

**Safaia: That's not what I was talking about, but ok, yeah. Whoo hoo.**

**Max: I was getting to that! Listen, you guys. Coming in July I'm going to be visiting my grandpa on his farm, and he has NO internet, but I pledge to work on this bad boy for all of you and update it as soon as I get back to the wonderful world of the 'net.**

**Safaia: _That's_ what I was talking about. So now it's time to enjoy the next chapter.**

* * *

><p>"Now then, it's time the three of you headed home," Mephisto said, giving us each a fake smile.<p>

"Nii-san!" Amaimon protested. "Didn't you promise that if I followed your instructions, you'd let me play as much as I liked this time?"

"I did warn you already not to break the school," Mephisto said. He flashed a small, crooked grin, baring his pointed teeth. "Besides, haven't you understood it yet? These younger siblings of ours." He shook the hand holding mine and Rin's ropes. I grunted and inched closer to Amaimon slowly, taking advantage of Mephisto's momentary distraction. "There's an overwhelming difference in your abili—BFFGGHG!"

Amaimon pulled his fist back from Mephisto's face and screamed, "I haven't lost yet!"

"RAAGGHH!" I yelled, shoving Mephisto aside, making him drop the ropes, and whipping my own at Amaimon. He caught it easily and began to swing me around in a circle, making the end around my wrists tighten. I yowled and tried to free my hands, but I was going too fast for my head to stretch close enough to chomp on the rope and I couldn't twist my hands back to cut it with my knives.

Suddenly Amaimon screamed and let go of his end of the rope, sending me spinning and screeching into a tree. My body plowed back-first through the tree, cutting off a good ten feet off the top. Moaning, I freed my hands and looked up to see Rin shoving Amaimon into another tree, slicing at him and trying to cut off his head. I snarled, not wanting to miss out on the fun, and appeared next to him, using my speed to get there in just a second. I dug a knife into Amaimon's side and he snarled, batting at my head with a clawed hand. I ducked under it and shoved my other knife into his stomach, while Rin managed to cut him deeply in the shoulder.

Amaimon bellowed and shoved us away. He yanked out my daggers and sent them spinning to me, straight for my head. I quickly cocked my head from side to side, fast enough to dodge each and have them thunk into the tree behind me. Then he pulled out the Kurikara and lobbed it at Rin, who easily caught it by the hilt.

I reached up and pulled my knives out of the tree, taking careful aim at Amaimon's back.

"Kuchen Cuckoo House!"

I hesitated and turned to the sound of the voice. A giant cuckoo clock was suspended in midair, the bird with a hat like Mephisto's reaching out and hooking its beak around Amaimon's neck. "Nii-san!" Amaimon pleaded. The bird pulled him in with it and the doors shut with a loud chime.

"Abracadabra," Mephisto said simply. The cuckoo clock disappeared in a puff of smoke. He twirled his umbrella and put his hat back on. "Now, let's see," he said. "Shall we go? Rin? My dear Safaia?" He caught sight of our faces. "Oh my."

I snarled at him, bits of saliva flying from my lips. Rin growled low in his throat, spit dripping from his teeth and onto the ground far below. We howled in unison and our flames reached for the sky, burning hot and eating up the nearby trees and what animals or demons that couldn't escape our wrath.

"Good grief," I heard Mephisto say through the crackling of our flames. "Younger siblings are such a bother." He held out a hand. "Come now, you two. You don't need to be so difficult."

I chucked a dagger at him in response, sending a wave of flame after it.

Mephisto jerked aside and avoided it easily. He pulled it out of the tree it had gone into and tossed it back at me. I caught it tentatively, unsure why he had given it back. Did he want me to kill him? "Dear me," he said, shaking his head. "Looks like it's going to be the hard way."

Suddenly he was between us. I yelped and whirled to stab him, but he caught my wrist. Rin snarled and tried to hit him with the Kurikara, but Mephisto batted the sword aside and latched onto his arm. He whistled a little tune and there was another poof of smoke.

I coughed and my eyes watered. I landed on something solid, possibly brick or stone, and looked up. Faces of people standing across from me blurred together in my instinctive tears and I roared, not caring whether they were friend or foe. A shrill voice called out, but I couldn't make out what it said. I growled and threw a dagger in the voice's direction, wanting to silence it. A deeper voice cried something else and the shapes of the people fell to the ground as my dagger flew past and harmlessly bounce off the wall behind them.

Mephisto grabbed my shirt collar and yanked me back, placing one booted foot on my chest and pressing down with enough force to keep me there. "Oh my," he said, sheathing Rin's sword by holding the wrist Rin was gripping the Kurikara with and shoving the sheath on the end with his free hand. He ignored my furious scratching at his leg. "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Angel? Mr. Suguro, if you would be so kind as to toss me that dagger…"

I craned my head around to see a blurry shape angrily kick my dagger over to us. Eagerly, I reached for it, but Mephisto snapped it up before it could reach my grasping fingers. "Thank you, Mr. Suguro. Now, Angel, allow me to express my pleasure at you receiving the Meister in Paladin." He tore my other dagger from my grasp and quickly sheathed them both.

It was like a heavy fog was lifted from my mind. And then a thousand pounds was dropped from a hundred feet in the air. I moaned as the soreness and pain of the fighting and stress of having my flames out for so long tumbled over me. My limbs were pounding with my heartbeat and my lungs ached with every breath of cold night air. I was covered with sweat and I shivered as the coolness of the night-turning-dawn kissed my burning skin. I rubbed my eyes to get the water out of them and blinked a few times.

My eyes fell on my classmates. They were all staring at us. Shiemi and Konekomaru's faces were filled with understandable fear. Renzo and Izumo were rigid with shock. And Ryuji…his face was hardest to read. It took me a minute to figure out what it held. He had confusion and shock and fear and anger and...hatred. Pure hatred. His eyes were wide and staring straight at me, his abhorrence a clear fire in his eyes. I felt my heart begin to wilt under it.

A voice drew me away from his terrifying gaze. "If what you found," it said, and I craned my head around to see a man (or was it a woman? It was hard to tell, with that long blond hair and white dress-like outfit) standing on the arch above the bridge. "If what you found had anything to do with Satan, you were to exterminate it immediately." His bright blue eyes looked at Shura and his hair swished around. "Shura, wouldn't you say these blue flame spewing beasts have something to do with Satan?"

Mephisto let my older brother's limp body go and he fell next to me, his head next to my stomach and pointed at our classmates. Rin cringed and groaned. He sounded like he was in just as bad a shape as I was.

The man (woman?) in the white outfit turned and looked at our caretaker. "Ah, Mephisto," he said, "So you've finally shown your tail. Word of your disloyalty has even reached the Grigori." He gave Mephisto a smile that had no warmth. Rather, it had satisfaction. "And this incident proves it."

Mephisto chuckled. "I haven't shown my tail," he said. "You're being rude to such a gentleman as I." If I hadn't been so focused on stopping my immediate pain, I would've probably snorted. Or maybe laughed.

Suddenly he kicked me in the side and poked Rin with the Kurikara. "Get up," he muttered to us. "It's not every day you see a duel between bearers of magic demon blades."

Grudgingly, we complied. My muscles screamed at me to stop, but I ignored them as best I could and staggered to my feet.

"Caliburn, give me strength," the blond guy said, pulling a ridiculously oversized sword from the sheath at his waist. A female voice replied, but I couldn't tell what it said.

"Compensating for something, pal?" I asked. Yes, even as tired and sore as I was, I somehow managed to be snarky at least once. I eyed the sword. It was at least three times the width of the Kurikara, and probably ten times or more the size of my daggers.

Abruptly, he was in front of us, one hand around my throat, another holding his sword with the edge touching Rin's neck. "The Order's top three advisers—the Grigori—have ordered," he said, tightening his grip around my throat, "the death of Satan's bastards!" He bent his head close to my ear. "And don't joke about what you don't know about, sweetheart. And don't even ask. I would never consort with a creature like you, no matter how sexy you are."

"Who…said…I was…asking?" I growled, grabbing his wrist and shoving him backward. I must've pushed harder than I'd thought, because he went flying and almost hit the wall. Almost.

"He disappeared again!" Rin cried, looking about frantically.

"Oh, no he didn't," I said, spotting a flash of blond hair and white cloth. I took a deep breath and used my speed to follow him. I saw Angel's eye widen as I appeared before him before he swung his sword at me.

I ducked it and slipped my fist into his chest. I heard a satisfying small _crack_ as he flew back and hit the wall. "Let's hear your bragging again, punk!" I screamed, somewhat hysterical.

"Kirigakure style-art of the magic sword," a familiar voice said. "Serpentine zigzag. Snake fang!"

A sharp blast of air that was far more dangerous than it sounded lashed out at Angel as I fell. Angel dodged to the side, avoiding the attack. I hit the bridge and rolled to keep myself from getting hurt any more than I already was. Angel came up behind Shura, at a speed I thought only demons could do. Apparently, I could track speed with my eyes as well as travel at the speed.

"Shura," Angel said. He had his sword at her throat and was holding her sword arm with his free hand. "Why are you protecting them? Have you gone over to Mephisto's side?"

"Of course not," Shura said, narrowing her eyes at Angel.

"Oh, right. Fujimoto asked you to teach the boy swordsmanship."

I blinked and heard Rin go "Huh?"

"You said that 'bald-headed bastard must be crazy!' Surely you don't intend to fulfill his wishes, do you?" Angel asked. "He was the least of all Paladins. And what of Chinatsu? You owe no allegiance to her. Why teach the adoptive bastard daughter of a disgraced member of the Saito family?"

"You're a bald-headed bastard!" Shura told him flatly. "You would never understand! So back off!"

Angel laughed. "But I'm not bald!" he said. "What a funny joke!" He sobered quickly. "But the Grigori's orders are absolute. So even if you—" A phone started ringing. Angel pulled his out and hit the button, putting it to his ear. "Yes?" he said. He paused. "Understood." He hung up and put his phone back in his pocket.

"That was a message from the Grigori," he clarified. "Mephisto is to undergo immediate questioning. The children will serve as evidence."

"Ooh! Sounds like fun!" Mephisto said. He snapped his fingers and his hat, overcoat, and umbrella disappeared.

"Shura," Angel said, letting her go and grabbing me and Rin by our collars. "You're a witness." He grabbed me and Rin by our collars. I was really starting to hate that. "Bourguignon, escort the Exwires."

"Yes sir!" another man said, hurrying over to my classmates. Where'd he come from, or had he been here the entire time without me noticing?

"Um, I'll take them," Yukio said. "I'm their teacher."

"All right," Angel consented. "Everyone, please go with your teacher. First go to the infirmary."

"Wait!" I said, turning around and straining against Angel's hold. I saw Ryuji staring at me. "Ryuji! Are you…is everyone all right? Are you hurt anywhere?"

He stared at me incredulously for a moment, then looked at Angel and screamed, "What the hell are the children of Satan doing at a school for Exorcists?"

"Ryuji," I said, half shocked, half afraid. "How could you say that?"

"Shut up!" he roared at me. Suddenly he started coughing. I saw a little bit of blood fly from his lips. Yukio wacked him on the back to help him get the blood out of his lungs. "You…" he said once he got his voice back. "You seduced me. This was all a part of your game, wasn't it?"

"No, never!" I cried, tears starting to form. "Ryuji, I would never—"

"—Do that to me?" he finished, glaring. "I doubt that. You're a demon. You're no better than a siren! Singing your unsuspecting prey into a trap they won't escape from unharmed. I'll bet you were just playing with me, weren't you? Having your fun with a silly human boy, messing with his heart!"

"Ryuji, you've got it all wrong!" I said, breaking Angel's hold and stumbling forward a few steps. I reached for him. "Ryuji, I love you!"

He gave a have-choked laugh. "I don't think I've got it wrong. I don't think you love me. What I think is that you were messing with me the entire time. Us humans, we're just toys to you demons, is that it? You go around screwing with our hearts?" His face darkened. "Well, good job. I'm probably just another lost soul in your string of broken hearts, aren't I?"

I fell to my knees, the tears falling finally. "Ryuji," I said softly, reaching out with one hand for him. "No, Ryuji, you can't do this to me. You can't."

"Can't I?" he demanded, smacking my hand away. "Don't ever touch me again. In fact, I never want to see you again. Go back to Gehenna, where you belong. Maybe your monster of a father can teach you how to shatter multiple hearts, teach you to make us so lovesick for you that if you told us to jump off a cliff, we'd ask you how far we'd have to fall. Maybe he'll let you take over, since you're so good at being brutal to us humans. I really hope the Grigori vote to kill you and your monster of a brother." And with that, he turned and stalked off.

"No," I said, watching him go. Renzo and Konekomaru watched him leave, and then looked back at me. Their faces were torn. Izumo was ridged, watching it all play out. Shiemi's face was still fearful. "No, no, no. Ryuji. Ryuji!" I screamed. "Don't! Don't do this! I love you! Please Ryuji!"

He stopped, his back to me. "I thought I made it clear that I don't ever want to have anything to do with you anymore. Do us all a favor and just go die. Save the Grigori the trouble." He continued on his way back into the Academy.

Angel had the audacity to laugh. "Well, that was fun," he said. "What drama! I'm sure you loved watching that didn't you, Mephisto? That's your specialty, isn't it? Creating events and watching them unfold for your enjoyment?"

"Yes, that was rather entertaining," Mephisto agreed. "Though I had no hand in this."

"Rin," a small voice said. I looked up to see Shiemi staring at us as Yukio escorted the others after Ryuji, promising to explain later.

"Shiemi," Rin said, giving her a nervous smile. "You're not hurt?" She stared at him, on the verge of tears. "What's the matter? You hurt somewhere?" He laughed nervously and held up his hands, shrugging. "Suguro's overreacting. I'm basically just a regular guy!" His tail, ever the traitor, came out from behind his back and began to wag. He quickly grabbed it and forced it back from her sight. He laughed again. "Not convinced, huh?" he said.

"Why are you laughing?" Shiemi asked.

"Huh?" Rin said.

"There's nothing funny about this!" Shiemi screamed at him, crying.

Yukio quickly came back out and collected her. "Come on, Shiemi," he said, leading her away.

She gave Rin one last look. "Rin…"

"Shiemi…"

"All right, that's enough! Move it!" Angel said, yanking me back up and hauling us away.

He pulled us to the door that the bridge connected the school to. "This will exit through the Stage Door of the Accused at the Opera House Court." As if that explained anything.

He inserted a key into the lock and twisted, the door opening. I blinked at the harsh light as we were shoved forward into it.

"Whoa," Rin said as our vision cleared.

"Whoa is right," I agreed, taking in the scene. It _was_ like an opera house. There were balconies lining the walls, each holding people who were hiding in the shadows that the extravagant curtains created. There were three staircases; two leading to the balconies, the third leading to a platform in front of what I guessed was the judge's stand. A crystal chandelier was hanging above the platform, twinkling in light, while another larger chandelier was holding it up, a good hundred candles on it if not more.

There was a lot of muttering going on. I looked around, my ears picking up snatches of whispers. "Satan…children…blue flames…the Blue Night…Grigori can't allow…must be exorcised…cursed…die…" Very encouraging. What positive thinkers.

"Kneel!" Angel ordered, shoving us to our knees. I was half-tempted to turn around and knock his feet out from under him, but decided against it. Probably not the best idea to go forward with at what was most likely gonna be our death sentence.

"Hold still." Rin screamed and I whipped my head around to see Angel's sword going through his leg. "I wouldn't try it," he advised as I went to stand up so I could tear him a new asshole. "If you so much as look at me again, I'll do the same to you." I reluctantly backed down.

"What're you doing?" Shura demanded.

"I don't want them flaring up in here," he said, pressing one foot to my right calf as a warning. "Anyway, he'll heal. The girl will get the same if she tries anything."

"You're a demon with a saint's face, Arthur," Shura muttered. I could agree with that.

"ORDER!" a judge with the traditional judge's wig yelled, silencing the court with one loud bang of his gavel. "Have the accused take the stand."

"Accused? You mean me?" Mephisto said, brightening. He pointed to himself. Did he think this was going to be fun? "Yippee!"

"The court will now here the case of Mephisto Pheles, Chief of the Japan Branch of the Knights of the True Cross," the judge said once Mephisto had taken the stand. "Your interrogators will be myself, Timothée Timowan, Chief Justice of the Order's Court of Law, and the Current Paladin, Arthur Auguste Angel. The Grigori will adjudicate."

The judge turned the screen of his computer around so we could see it. It showed a small video clip of me and Rin, hacking and slashing away in all our blue-flamed damnation. "All present have seen these images of what just happened on the Academy grounds. Sir Pheles, the children shown here are the demons kneeling before us, are they not?" The judge stared hard at Mephisto, like he was a small child who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar and was about to be dealt the ultimate punishment.

"Yes," Mephisto said simply.

"Then without further delay, I ask you," the judge said, pausing dramatically, "are they the children of Satan?"

There was a long, tense silence. "That they are," Mephisto said, and the court broke out into babble again. "I won't hide it any longer." He had been hiding it? You could've fooled me.

"It is said that fifteen years ago," a female voice rang out over the mutterings, silencing them again. I looked up through my bangs to see one of the three people sitting behind the judge, whose faces were covered with elegant robes. The one on the left was the one who was speaking. "It is said that fifteen years ago Shiro Fujimoto expelled two children of Satan carried by Junior Second Class Exorcist Yuri Egin. Do you mean to say the reports are false?"

"Yes," Mephisto said. Cue the mumblings again. "She gave birth to fraternal triplets, two boys and a girl. Only one did not inherit Satan's power, the youngest of the three, one of the boys." He gestured to us. "The two who did are here before you. They would've become demons, but I sealed the boy's Demon Heart with the Koma Sword, more commonly known as the Kurikara. Then Shiro Fujimoto raised him in secret until he was ready to assume his power."

"You say you only sealed the boy's Demon Heart, Mephisto," another of the Grigori, the one on the right, said. "Then what of the girl's? If you did not seal hers, then why is she not…not in her demon form?"

"Ah," Mephisto said, smiling. He held up a finger. "I have a theory to that. Recently, I did seal the girl's Demon Heart. But you see, when Shiro Fujimoto and I, ah, liberated the children from their mother's dead body only moments after they were born, we were attacked by a barrage of higher-level demons. Sirens and naiads, to be specific. We were forced to set the children down in order to protect ourselves. During the fight, we somehow lost the girl. Later I found out that Chinatsu Tottori had followed us and had spirited the girl away at the behest of Yuri, who, as we all remember, was Chinatsu's best friend. Still, she must've still been in the area when we sealed the eldest's Demon Heart, as she never demonstrated any demonic tendencies. At least, not any severe ones. Just a few broken bones, here and there. Her flames never showed themselves except when she was extremely angry and not in total control of her temper. From a young age she was able to keep them in check. I believe that their two Hearts are connected. As the girl can easily demonstrate…" He turned around and motioned to me and Rin. "Rin, flare up, will you?" he asked nicely. "And Safaia, suck in his flames."

"W-What?" I asked weakly.

"You heard me," he said. "Rin, unleash your flames, and Safaia, you take them under your control."

"How sure are you that this is safe, Mephisto?" the judge demanded. "How do we know this isn't a trick to murder the Grigori? And what if they break from your control?"

"Please, Your Honor," Mephisto said, laying it on thick. "You have my word. And I have confidence in myself that I can bring them back under control, _if_ they get out of hand."

The judge didn't look too convinced, but he nodded to Angel and the Blond Bastard backed off. Rin took a sharp breath as the sword slid out from his ankle.

Rin looked at me. "Ready?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. "I've only done this once."

"Let's see if you can do it again," he said, and unleashed a small bit of his flames. They flickered weakly on his back. I heard a few gasps and even a small scream as Rin stayed perfectly still. His eyes were closed and he took deep, even breaths, a perfect sculpture of calm if you didn't count the dancing flames on his back.

I looked up at Mephisto. "I'm not sure I can do this," I said. "I don't even know how I did it last time."

"Just try," he said, nodding encouragingly. "I believe it is an instinct for you."

I took a deep breath and placed my hand on Rin's back, right into the flames. I slowly let out the breath and reached for the flames with my own. Slowly, slowly, Rin's flames melded with my own and I drew them back into my mind barrier.

"There, you see?" Mephisto said. "It wasn't that hard, was it?" I drew my hand back and looked at the ground. I didn't care anymore. I just didn't care.

"Why did you allow these children to live, Sir Pheles?" the right of the Grigori asked.

"For what purpose did you not exorcise them?" the middle one asked.

Mephisto's grin somehow got bigger and more devilish. "To make them weapons in the fight against Satan." There were more gasps and outraged yells as Mephisto threw up his hands and cried, "All of you gathered here today! Make a wager with me!" His grin had turned into a half-perverse pleasure, half-crazy smile and his eyes were wide and wild. His pointed teeth flashed in the light. "Will these children of Satan become Demon Lords of Gehenna? Or will they become the Order's—nay, dare I say it, the saviors of Assiah?" He calmed down and said, "Of course, one condition of this wager is that we'll have to wait a while to find out."

"Don't let this trickster fool you!" Angel suddenly burst out. "Surely you have not forgotten _what_ he is. Deception is what _they_ excel at! He conspired with Shiro Fujimoto to raise Satan's bastards! That is an incontrovertible fact! He was plotting to overthrow the Order from within and waiting for his chance to strike! He's out of his mind! I demand you relieve Mephisto of duty!"

"_SHUT UP_!" Rin roared, effectively silencing the court. "I'm sick of all of you and your damn nonsense! Stop talking about us like that! We're not Demon Lords of or saviors! _We're Rin and Safaia Okumura_!" He reared up and his flames went loose. A few people screamed.

"Rin!" I said, placing a hand on him. I quickly sucked the flames into my control. "Easy there, big brother. Let me handle this." He took a few deep breaths and nodded, loosening his tensed muscles.

I looked up. "Can I…say something?" I asked weakly.

Angel glared down at me and opened his mouth to say something scathing when the judge said, "Yes, you may. But keep it brief."

I stood up and looked around, then took a deep breath. "Look," I said. "Rin and I aren't just…_weapons_ you can use whenever you want. We're people. We're…well, not completely, but we _are_ human, like you, at least part way. We have feelings and desires and we hurt and cry and we smile and laugh and…and…we're just teenagers. We love and hate and we want boyfriends and girlfriends and just plain old friends. We have goals, too. Rin wants to become the next Paladin, and I want to be the first official Rogue in two hundred years, and maybe even an Archpriest. We've only known about our demonic heritage for about two, three months at most. We just want to be regular kids. It's not liked we _asked_ to be Satan's spawn. We just…are."

Mephisto clapped. "Well put, my dear Safaia. Well put indeed." He turned back to the Grigori. "So, now that you've heard that rousing speech, what'll it be?"

Angel suddenly snorted. "You're going to be Paladin?" he sneered at Rin. "The damnable child of Satan? How humorous."

"Do all Paladins dress like you?" Rin asked.

"What?" Angel said.

"Well, when I become Paladin," Rin said, tuning to look at Angel. "I won't be dressing like a fashion reject."

"You misunderstand," Angel said, rearing back his sword. "I had this outfit tailor made."

"Then you certainly have a horrible choice in clothes, Princess," I sneered back, though my heart wasn't in it.

"When I'm done with him, you're next, _Darling_," he snarled back. "See if you can fix your hair while I cut off your brother's head. And try not to get any blood in it, either. I do so hate to kill dirty prey. Though I guess they don't come any dirtier than you." He cocked back his sword again.

"ORDER! ORDER!" screamed the judge. "Stop it, Angel!"

"Demons are indeed our enemy," the left of the Grigori said as Angel put his sword back down. "However, learning from our opponent has always been one of the strategies of the Order."

"Nonetheless," the right one said, "this is an unprecedented situation. Sir Pheles remains under charges."

"However," the middle one continued, "due to his two hundred years of service, we owe him a measure of trust. Let us put it to a majority vote whether we shall accept his wager."

"One condition is that Rin and Safaia Okumura pass the Exorcist Certification Exam in six months," the right one said.

"Agreed," the left one said.

They continued to bicker on about the conditions. I sighed and tuned them out. I didn't care if we had to fly to the moon to prove that we were worth betting on.

"Safaia," Rin said, placing a hand on my shoulder. I looked up at him. "Come on. They're letting us go."

"Ok." I stood up and followed him and Shura and Mephisto out the door we had come in.

It was raining outside. I looked off to the east and saw a line of yellow topping the trees. So we had been in there for half the night. How had I not noticed?

I let the others get ahead of me before I slipped off into the woods.

* * *

><p>I wandered around, trying to find the spot. It took me awhile, since I had only ever gone to it from one way. Eventually I crashed into our little clearing. I looked around. Everything was the same. The oak trees surrounding us, the little creek babbling softly towards the south, the bushes guarding the eastern entrance. Wind rustled the leaves, making a soft <em>whish-whish<em> sound. The rain made a small _pitter-patter _on the branches above me but didn't reach the ground.

I fell to my knees. How could everything be the same, so calm and peaceful? Didn't it know that Ryuji hated me now? That things would never be the same?

I sniffed and reached up to brush away the few tears that had fell out of my eyes. I looked at my hand and realized I was still wearing his jacket.

That did it. I started crying in earnest and couldn't stop myself. I crawled over to the oak tree we'd used to cuddle under and curled up, hugging my knees to my chest. _I should've told him…I should've told him…_

_Shut up_, I tried to tell myself. _He just would've hated you longer. You never would've had what you did if you had told him before._ It didn't work. I still loved him. I still wanted him. And he still hated me.

_I don't think you love me._ _I'm probably just another lost soul in your string of broken hearts, aren't I?_

I winced at the memory of his voice and drew his jacket a little closer to me. I pressed my wrists to my face and inhaled his scent, the last good thing I'd probably ever have from him. I concentrated on taking slow, deep breaths as I cried myself to sleep under the tree.

* * *

><p>He'd watched her from behind the bushes, listening to her sobs and soft cries of "I should've told him". Every one of those words had cut his heart a little more at a time. He thought that she'd hear him for sure, but apparently she was feeling too sorry for what she'd done to him.<p>

_No_, he told himself. _She's a demon. The spawn of Satan. She doesn't have feelings._

He'd told himself that over and over as he'd watched her. He knew that she'd come to their old study place in the woods at the edge of the school grounds and decided to head there himself. At first he'd come to get his jacket back, but he'd fallen asleep waiting for her and hadn't woken up until after she'd arrived. He'd watched her crawl over to what had been their tree and curl up on her side, knees to her chest and tears rolling down her face and onto the forest floor.

Sighing, he got up from his hiding place and walked over to her sleeping form. She looked so innocent when she slept, so…unlike a demon. The only giveaways were her twitching tails, one furry, the other pointed.

He took a deep breath and kneeled down, hooking his arms under her shoulders and knees. He carefully picked her up, making sure she didn't wake. His mind screamed at him to stop, to take his jacket and leave, but his heart told him it was stupid and ignoble to leave her hear where she could possibly freeze to death, even with his jacket on. He sincerely doubted that she would freeze, but his heart and common sense refused to let him leave without taking her with him to get her someplace dry. He'd take her up to her dormitory and leave her there. Let her brothers take it from there but not know he'd been there. He figured this was the last kindness he could do for her. After all, she had saved him and his friends from Amaimon, hadn't she?


	20. Chapter 18

**Please don't kill me! *Ducks* I'm sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been super busy since the start of the school year and a lot of drama has been flying around. I swear I'll work on updating faster, because I know so many of you love this story.**

**Safaia: And me! They love me!**

**Rin: Hey! What about me? Don't they love me?**

**Renzo: Don't forget me!**

**Ryuji: Shut up, Renzo. You too, Okumura. *Glares at Safaia***

**Safaia: *Whimpers***

**Max: Hey, no squabbling! Each of you pick a corner and sit!**

**All: *Go sit in seperate corners***

**Max: Good.**

* * *

><p>I woke up the next morning, his jacket twisted around my torso. I sat up, pillow peeling away from my sticky cheek. I looked around and my eyes met my room. How had I gotten here? The last thing I remembered was crying under the trees in our old study spot.<p>

Our old study spot. I gave a half-choked laugh at the irony. How quickly those spots where we'd shared something became old as soon as we were no longer together.

That still didn't answer how I'd gotten here, though. _Rin probably found me and brought me back,_ I thought, _or maybe Yukio._ My mind toyed with the idea that Ryuji had brought me, and my heart ached fiercely. _No, it wasn't him. He hates me too much now to do that. He probably would've tried to drown me or something instead. Save everyone else the trouble._

Unwanted tears started to form and I brushed them away. I looked at my calendar to check what day it was. Sunday. Our day off from learning to be Exorcists.

My heart, rather than my head, resolved to make me curl up on my side and spend the day in what ifs and what-had-beens. My head figured what the hell, I had time to kill down in Brokenheartsville (1).

* * *

><p>"Izumo, please," Yukio pleaded, hurrying to catch up with the haughty purple-haired girl. "You're the only one I can think of who can get Safaia up and out of her room, or at least her bed. Maybe even the dorm. You're the only one she has any respect for."<p>

"Funny, it doesn't seem like she respects me," Izumo said, sitting down at the fountain in one of the school courtyards. She was on her way to meet up with Paku and go on a shopping spree with her only real friend, and she really didn't want to be late. She set her purse down next to her and crossed her arms.

"Maybe it doesn't seem like it," Yukio said, standing across from her. He knew better than to sit next to the temperamental girl. "But I think Safaia kind of sees you as…how do I put this? Competition?"

"Competition? Me?" Izumo said, a little surprised.

Yukio nodded. "Besides Shiemi, you're the only other girl in the class, and Shiemi's struggling with the classes at best. But you're on par with Safaia. That's why you're kind of a competitor to her. And Safaia views her competitors with respect. Out of everyone in the class, you and Suguro are the only ones she has any real reverence for."

"Then why not go to that oaf to get her out of her slump? Or that pink-haired bastard Shima? She seemed to be best buds with him," Izumo grumbled.

Yukio gave her an incredulous look. "You want me to _kill_ her by going to Suguro? You saw as well as I did what happened between them on the bridge." Izumo grudgingly nodded that she had. "And besides, Suguro, Shima, and Miwa are all in the hospital from their injuries. And I'm not sure how Shima'd react if I asked him to come talk to Safaia. If he wasn't deathly afraid of her like Miwa is, I'd be afraid of him trying to cheer her up by, ah, violating her."

"You've got a point there," Izumo said. She thought for a minute. "All right. But there's two conditions."

"Anything," Yukio said, relieved.

"She has to come shopping with me and Paku. And she has to pay for everything."

"Done," Yukio said, shaking hands with her. "I'll make sure she has her wallet with her before you leave."

"Let's go," she said, grabbing her purse and following Yukio to the triplets' dormitory. She pulled out her phone and dialed Paku's number. "Yeah, it's me. Little change of plans. I'm gonna be a little late and I'm bringing Safaia. Yeah, apparently she's in some kind of slump and refuses to even leave her bed except for bathroom breaks and food. Her brother thinks I can bring her out of it. No, not Rin. The other one, Yukio, you know, the younger one who's our teacher? Yeah, him, the one with all the moles. He practically came begging on his knees to me. Oh, and she's going to be paying for all our stuff, plus whatever we convince her to buy for herself. So go crazy. Pick out all the most expensive clothes you like. Let's see if we can break the infamous Tottori bank." Izumo hung up.

* * *

><p>A small knock came from my door. I flipped over in my bed and moaned, "Go away." Silence. Then another, harsher knock. "I said go away," I called louder, rolling over.<p>

My door opened with a BANG. "I said go the fuck—" I rolled back over and sat up to see Izumo standing in my room with Yukio sheepishly peeking over her shoulder.

"Get up," Izumo said, striding to my closet. "We're going shopping." She began to paw through my clothes.

"I don't wanna," I grumbled, frowning at her. "Get your filthy mitts outta my stuff."

"I will as soon as you get out of bed," she said, pulling out and eyeing my favorite green tank top. "Not bad. At least you have taste in clothes." She hung it back up and stomped over to my bed. I scowled and stubbornly pulled the covers over my head and rolled over. Next thing I knew the covers were on the floor and Izumo was yanking me up by my hair.

"Ow! The hell, Izumo? I said I don't wanna go shopping with you!" I struggled to get her vice-like fingers out of my hair to no avail.

She dragged me down the hall to the bathrooms and forced me to stand next to one of the giant tubs, her fingers still twisted in my hair. Yukio hurriedly followed before Izumo stopped him. "Out, Yukio," she said, waving curtly to my younger brother. "This is no place for boys. Out, now."

Yukio gave me a pitiful look and shut the door behind him.

"All right," Izumo said, releasing my complaining scalp. She turned on the water and started filling the bathtub. "Undress and get in."

"No." I crossed my arms and stuck out my lower lip, like a child.

She reared back and slapped me across the face. I blinked and stood there, shocked. "Get over yourself. Get over _him_," she said, mimicking my stance, minus the pouty lip. "If he can't get over the fact that you're Satan's baby girl, then you don't deserve him."

"But I'm a half demon," I protested. "I'm a huge problem to everyone."

"You're a huge problem because you're _Satan's _half demon daughter," she said. "Look, you may not know it, but there are a lot of half-demon Exorcists. Some are even descendants of the Demon Princes like Iblis and Egyn. The only reason everyone and their dog is freaking out is because Satan knocked up your mom, and she had you and your brothers. They think you're going to turn out like your old man, and let me say the pity party attitude over a boyfriend isn't going to give you any brownie points." I had no idea what to say to that. She brushed past me and checked the water. "In the tub, now, before I push you in."

Reluctantly I complied and slipped out of Ryuji's jacket and my clothes. Izumo gathered them up in a ball and set them next to the door. I slipped into the bathwater. It was the perfect temperature, nice and hot. I sat with my shoulders peeking out of the water a little bit. Evidently this wasn't good enough for Izumo, because she grabbed them and shoved me underwater without any warning. I scrabbled for purchase under the water but couldn't find any. Luckily she only held me under long enough to soak my hair. I came up, gasping for air. She squirted some shampoo into my hair and started to scrub.

"Ow!" I yelped, trying to wriggle away. "You're my scalp's bane of existence, you know that?"

"Do you want dandruff?" she countered, pulling me back so I was leaning against the tub. "Hold still." She expertly kneaded my hair around and around, getting every last fluff of dandruff and split end.

"There," she said, rinsing her hands in the water and picking off any strands of hair that clung to them. "Tip your head back." I complied and she scooped water up in her hands and poured it over my head over and over, rinsing my hair. Next she massaged conditioner in.

"Here," she said, handing me a washcloth that had soaked in the bathwater. "Wipe your face. You've got dried snot and tears all over it."

"Thanks for the compliment," I mumbled, squeezing the cloth to get the extra water out. I scrubbed my face hard, determined to get the muck off.

Izumo peeked around. "You're missing some," she said, disgusted. She rinsed the conditioner off her hands and snatched the small towel for me. "Here, let me do it since you're so obviously incompetent." I swear she almost tried to smother me and rip my face off with the washcloth at the same time.

"Thtop! Thtop! Vi ant veeth!" I gurgled, reaching for the cloth. I yanked her hand away and peeled the towel away from my face and gasped for air. I turned around and shot Izumo a scathing look. "Are you trying to murder me or what?"

"No," she admitted. "I'm trying to get you back to your normal bitchy self. So far it's working. I figured if I be a bitch to you, it'll eventually bring you around."

"I'm the bitch?" I snapped. I reared back my hand and splashed some bathwater on her, successfully getting some on her shirt.

"Hey!" she yelped, leaping back. "Seriously? That's so childish! Now what am I gonna wear while we're shopping? I picked this outfit a week in advance!"

"Are you kidding me? You picked your shopping outfit a week in advance? I just slap on whatever clothes I just happen to have clean," I said. "And who said I was going shopping with you anyway?"

"Your brother did," she said, hands on her hips. "Yukio said if I could get you out of bed you could come shopping with me and Paku. And you get to pay for it."

"Just when I was starting to think you'd want me to come along for my company," I muttered sarcastically. I flapped a hand at her. "Go. You can wear whatever you like that's in my closet. I can finish washing myself from here on. Just make sure to bring something back for me to wear."

She snorted. "Like anyone would want you around for your company." She turned and left. I noticed how she didn't turn down my offer, though.

I sighed and quickly finished my bath, draining the water and drying then wrapping a towel around myself. I frowned when I saw that Izumo had taken the clothes I'd been wearing earlier. She hadn't come back yet, either. I peeked my head out the door, checking to see if Rin or Yukio was out in the hall. Seeing that the coast was clear, I scurried to my room and quickly shut the door behind me.

Izumo was rooting through my clothes again, her wet top on the floor. "Would he like this one?" she was murmuring. "It's the same color as his hair…" She was holding my dusty pink T-shirt that said "Do Work."

"Would who like what?" I asked, making her yelp and spin around. She hid the shirt behind her back. "N-No one! Nothing!" she cried, turning as pink as the shirt. "I'm not picking out a shirt because of him!"

"Because of whom?" I asked, a little frustrated. "Whose hair matches that—" It dawned on me. "Renzo!"

"Sh-Shut up!" Izumo snapped, her face turning a darker shade of pink.

"You do like him!" I said, snapping my fingers. "You like Renzo, but you won't admit it!"

She hung her head. "Yes," she said quietly. "I do like him." Her head snapped back up. "But you can't tell him!"

I held up my hands in a defensive gesture. "Don't worry. I doubt I'll be getting within ten feet of him any time soon, so your secret's safe with me."

She stared at me for a minute, then reluctantly nodded. She looked at the floor. "I've always thought he was kinda cute," she admitted softly. "And he's a really sweet guy, under that perverseness. I just…I've never had anybody get close to me except for Paku, and she's my only real friend."

"And you don't know how to handle Renzo, who wants to be more than just friends," I said, nodding. "I totally get it. I never had too many friends before coming here either, so I was really nervous when Ryuji and I…" I trailed off, feeling my heart twist painfully. I clutched the towel harder.

Izumo, of all people, gave me a hug and said, "It's ok. You don't have to tell me right now. Why don't you get dressed and ready for our shopping spree? It'll take your mind off it. That's why we're taking you shopping. You can tell me when you're ready. But you _do_ need to get over him."

"I know," I whispered, not trusting my voice. "It's just so hard, though." I stepped out of the hug and made for my closet. "Oh, and you should wear that shirt. It'll make your hair look good, even if Renzo doesn't like it. But I'm betting he probably would. He likes anything in a skirt."

"Unless it's a cross-dresser." We laughed. "All right." She slipped the shirt on. "Come out when you're ready, ok? And don't forget your wallet." She stepped out of my room and closed the door.

I let the towel fall and pulled on some underwear. After that I dug through my closet, picking out a simple pair of jeans and a white tank-top with a flowing blue shirt that had no shoulders. I quickly yanked on a pair of flats and grabbed my purse, checking to make sure my wallet and credit card were in it. Satisfied that they were, I opened the door and said to Izumo, "Ready."

"Good." She grabbed my arm and started to drag me down the hall. "Now come on. Paku and the mall are waiting."

* * *

><p>We made it to the mall shortly after nine. After a lot of convincing (and some threatening) from Izumo, I called for a limo from my dad's private company to get us to the mall faster.<p>

"Safi! My _ptichka_!" Dimitri, our Russian driver, cried with a hint of an accent (2). He clambered all six foot seven of himself out of the car and scooped me up in a hug, his big muscles rippling and tightening around me. I wrapped my arms around him and inhaled his scent. Dimitri had always smelled cool and sharp, even without deodorant. He told me it was because he'd grown up in "Mother Russia." "When I heard you had called for a driver I just knew it had to be me! I have not seen you in forever!"

"Dimka!" I cried back. He loved it when I called him his native tongue's nickname. "I missed you, Dimka!"

"I missed you to, _ptichka_," he said, stepping back. "My, how you have grown! You are as tall as your mother!"

"Mom! How's Mom?" I asked desperately, hopping up and down a little.

He laughed. "She is fine, _ptichka_," he said. "Holding the company together and making money, which is what counts. And you, you are the same as ever, flighty and jumping from topic to topic, just like a bird."

"Aw, only you think that, Dimka," I said, giving him a smile. "Look, I want you to meet someone." I turned and motioned Izumo over. "Dimka, this is Izumo, my…ah, friend."

"Hello," Izumo said, ignoring what I said and holding out a hand to Dimitri.

He smiled. "Any friend of my _ptichka's_ is a friend of mine," he said, bowing low and kissing her knuckles. "My name is Dimitri Nicholaivic Rasputin. And might I say you look ravishing, Miss Izumo."

Izumo flushed and said, "Err, thank you, Dimitri."

Dimitri winked and said, "You are welcome, my lady."

I flashed Izumo a grin. "Cheeky and a charmer, isn't he?"

Dimitri staggered back with a hand over his heart in mock shock, like I'd shot him. "Cheeky? Charmer? Me? No, _ptichka_, I am only exchanging pleasantries with Miss Izumo!"

I laughed and said, "Sure, Dimka, whatever you say. Now how about we go to the mall? Paku's waiting. Isn't that what you told me earlier, Izumo?"

"I—I—yes, yes I did," Izumo said, trying to compose herself. "And if Mr. Rasputin would be so kind as to get us to the mall…"

"Of course, my lady," Dimitri said, smiling. He opened the door to the limo. "The mall awaits!"

Izumo and I climbed into the back seat and Dimitri shut the door, hurrying into the driver's seat.

"So what is new with you, _ptichka_? Besides your powers, of course." Dimitri was one of the few of our personal staff that had known about me. Apparently it hadn't affected him, because I had always been by his side and he had treated me like a daughter or maybe a little sister. When I was young he would sometimes let me sit in his lap and pretend to steer as he drove, and when I could reach the gas pedals he'd began teaching me how to drive. "I heard you and your brother were to be sentenced to death."

"We were," I said. "But Mephisto was able to sway the Grigori into 'making a wager with him,' as he said. I guess you could say Rin and I are on probation. Good behavior lets us live longer, and bad behavior means we'll get locked up and executed." I shuddered and involuntarily grabbed at my throat. "So right now letting out our flames is a big no-no."

Dimitri's knuckles tightened and turned white on the wheel. He muttered something under his breath in Russian. "Curse the Grigori and their Council! If I hear you are locked up, _ptichka_, those airheads will face the wrath of Dimitri Nicholaivic Rasputin!" I saw his muscles roll and looked at Izumo. Her eyes were wide and locked on Dimitri's back. So much for Renzo. Of course, the pink-haired perv had nothing on my six-foot tall, built-like-a-tank Russian who could be so gentle and yet so fierce. Those muscles weren't just for show, after all. Dimitri had doubled as a bodyguard for my family when we went shopping.

"It's ok, Dimka," I said. "I'll be fine. It's Rin I'm worried about."

"Mmm." Dimitri nodded. "He is a hot-headed one, I am sure."

"Hot-headed doesn't even begin to cover it," I muttered, and we drove in silence for a little while.

"Safaia had a boyfriend," Izumo suddenly said. I shot her a look and Dimitri happily exclaimed, "Ah, is that true, _ptichka_?"

I sighed. "Yeah, it's true," I said.

I saw Dimitri's grin through the rearview mirror. "Tell me about him, _ptichka_."

"What's to tell?" I asked bitterly. "He broke up with me the minute he found out what I am."

Dimitri's knuckles tightened again. "Then perhaps I should go and talk to him for you, eh, _ptichka_? What you are should not matter when it comes to affairs of the heart. It is _who_ you are that should matter."

"That's a problem too," I sulked. "I'm Satan's daughter. It was Ryuji's temple that got destroyed in the Blue Night sixteen years ago. He's afraid that because I'm Satan's daughter, I'm gonna destroy his temple all over again."

Dimitri's eyebrow raised. "And…he told you this?"

"Not in so many words," I said slowly, thinking about it. "But…I got that general feel from him." Dimitri was quiet.

"It's because he broke up with her that we're going shopping," Izumo said. "You should've seen her. She didn't even want to get out of bed, she was so pitiful."

"I was NOT pitiful!" I snapped.

"You wouldn't get out of bed," she said offhandedly. "I had to drag you down the hall to the bathrooms so you could wash. By your hair, even."

"Sh-Shut up!" I sputtered. Dimitri laughed.

"It sounds like you had a regular case of the broken heart, _ptichka_," he said. "That is nothing a little trip to the mall with your friends and Dimitri will not help heal." I couldn't help but notice he didn't say "fix."

* * *

><p>It was about a half hour later when we finally made it to the mall. "Wait here, ladies," Dimitri said as he opened the door for us, the limo temporarily parked in front of the entrance to the mall. "I shall be back, once I park the limousine. Young ladies such as yourselves should not be alone without an escort!"<p>

"Dimitri, we're fine," Izumo tried to insist. Emphasis on "tried." "You don't have to come along."

"My mother taught me never to leave a young lady alone, and I will hold true to my mother's teachings," he said, waving a hand to end the matter. "I will return momentarily. Please, Miss Izumo, wait here with _ptichka_." He climbed back into the car and drove off, leaving Izumo's argument dangling in the air.

"Dimka's all about being noble and such," I said. "If you refused to let him escort us, he'd feel like he's disappointing his mother, and you do_ not_ want him to feel that way, trust me. She taught him to be a gentleman and he holds true to her teachings. I've found it's just better to let him have his way than argue with him about it. Besides, he'd just do it anyway."

"He doesn't have to," Izumo grumbled. "This is the twenty-first century. We don't need an escort."

"Izumo! Safaia!" a voice called. We turned to see Paku running up to us.

"Hey, Paku," I said as Izumo gave her friend a hug.

"Who was that guy just now?" Paku asked curiously.

"Our limo driver," I explained. "His name's Dimitri, but you can call him Dimka."

"He's insisting on escorting us," Izumo said, rolling her eyes. She sure was good at hiding her attractions to guys. Renzo had a pretty tough nut to crack. "Can you believe it? As if we need a bodyguard."

"I don't know," Paku said, casting a glance in the direction Dimitri had gone. "I wouldn't mind having him around. I could see his muscles from over there." She giggled and Izumo gaped.

"P-Paku!" she gasped as Dimitri strolled up.

"Ah, so this is the lovely Paku," he said, bowing. "May I say that you look beautiful today as well, Miss Paku." He winked at Paku, who blushed, and turned to me. "_Ptichka,_ you did not tell me how pretty all your friends are," he said pretending to be hurt.

"You didn't ask, Dimka," I said. "Come on, aren't we all here to shop?" With that I headed into the mall, Dimitri following with Paku and Izumo off each of his arms.

We had a great time. Paku, Izumo, and I tried on all sorts of clothes, disappearing into the changing rooms to come back out and model the outfits for Dimitri. He would crack jokes and applaud and tell us that we looked amazing, even when the outfits were downright ridiculous. We were able to coax him into trying on different outfits we found and get him to pose for us, too. One time he had on only a pair of pants with suspenders. I could tell Izumo and Paku were trying not to drool when he came out of the rooms with that on.

Eventually it was time for lunch. So, we picked out the clothes we liked best, I paid for it all, and we went back out to the limo, Dimitri insisting on carrying the fifty-plus bags of clothes for us. Once all our stuff was in the trunk, Dimitri squeezed into the driver's seat and took us to my favorite sushi place. It was across the street from True Cross General Hospital, so if someone got sick or had a heart attack or something, all they had to do was go across the street.

Dimitri dropped us off in front and, making us promise to wait, drove off to find a place to park.

Laughing over a joke Dimitri had told us, we stood off to the side by a dolphin fountain so we wouldn't be in peoples' way. I sighed, trying to get my breath back. I looked away from Izumo and Paku, since I knew I'd start laughing if I saw them trying to control their own giggles. I stared at the hospital, trying to smother my giggles. I fixed my eyes on the doors, watching people come and go from the main entrance. An old man was sitting on a bench, staring at the sky with tears streaming down his face. A woman was hurrying a red-faced child inside. A pair of proud new parents were taking their new baby home. And, leaning against one of the pillars out in front of the entrance, was Ryuji.

I froze and stared. Everything turned to ice. _Please don't look…_ I thought. If he looked, everything happy that I'd been building up since Izumo had hauled me out of the dorm would drain away.

He looked.

And immediately began glaring.

Every bit of happiness, the joy I'd had only moments before, withered and died on the vine. I shrank back.

"Safaia? What's wrong?" Paku asked, coming up. She and Izumo looked across the road and saw. "Oh."

Izumo's face was stormy. She immediately stomped across the road, ignoring the honking traffic.

As soon as she reached Ryuji, she reared back and slapped him hard across the face. I winced at the resounding crack of palm hitting cheek. I'd been on the receiving end of one of those slaps. She started yelling at Ryuji and after a dumbstruck moment of shock, he started yelling back. I bit my lip and looked away, but I could still hear their voices over the noises from the street and resterant and hospital because of my demonic hearing. Words like "Satan," "blue flames," "bastard," and "she shouldn't be alive" stabbed at my heart and began tearing it into smaller pieces than it already was.

Finally, I broke though the condensed lump that had formed in my throat and called Izumo back. "Izumo!" I called, the tears still falling quietly. "Izumo!" She and Ryuji halted their arguing and she looked back as me. "Izumo, stop. It's not…please, just stop."

She shot one last hard glare at Ryuji and yelled loud enough for the entire block to hear, "I HOPE YOU'RE FUCKING HAPPY!"

She stormed across the street, ignoring the cars that blared at her as they screeched past. "Come on," she said, helping me get up from my position on the fountain. "Let's go somewhere else." She and Paku each placed a hand on my back and led me to Dimitri, who had appeared and had watched it all play out.

"Do not cry, _ptichka_," he said, handing me a handkerchief which I proceeded to wipe my eyes with. He pulled me into a tight hug, and if I knew Dimitri, he probably was giving Ryuji a death glare that could rival Izumo's. "He is not worth wasting your tears on. Come; let us find another place to dine."

* * *

><p>The drive back to True Cross Academy was silent. Dimitri sat stoic in the driver's seat, not looking back at us. Izumo was on my left, glaring out the window and tearing a scrap of fabric she'd found to shreds. Paku held my right hand in both of hers and patted it comfortingly. I sat in between them, trying to stop my tears. After a few breaks that consisted of hiccups and followed by more crying, I was able to control myself once we'd reached the gates. Dimitri parked the car and opened the trunk for us, handing us our different bags of clothes and other items. After giving me one last hug and kiss on the top of my head, he drove off.<p>

Izumo and Paku helped me get my bags to my room and Paku left, saying, "See you later, Safaia." I just nodded, not looking at her. I sat on my bed and didn't move.

I heard Izumo sigh. "So much progress," she muttered, probably thinking I wasn't listening. "All down the drain. You made so much progress, and now it's gone. Listen." I slowly looked up at her, my expression blank. "This changes nothing between us. I gave it a solid effort to help you, like Mr. Okumura asked me to. I still hate you. You're still a bitch. But…if you need something, call and let me know." She snatched a marker from my desk and scribbled her cell number on the back of my hand. "I probably won't help you, but at least you can try. You owe me one now. I'll see you tomorrow." She dropped the marker on my bed and turned to leave.

"Izumo." She paused in the doorway, the door open. "Thanks. I enjoyed today. Really." My voice sounded dead, so it didn't help in convincing her.

She glanced over her shoulder at me. "You mean before you had an emotional breakdown by just looking at Suguro like a whiny middle schooler?" she asked. I winced and she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>1. Brokenheartsville is a country song by Joe Nichols. I recommend it<strong>

**2. Ptichka means little bird in Russian. I think. I Googled it so who knows how accurate it is?**

**Review please! And not just "I love this, keep going" kinda stuff. I want constructive criticism people! Pump up the CC!**

**Rin: Can we come out from our corners now?**

**Max: NO! Not until the people review!**

***EDIT* Safaia has a Facebook page! Go like her if you have a Facebook! GO! - www. facebook . com backslash (/) Safaia Okumura (Just take out the spaces)**


	21. Chapter 19

Rin woke me up the next day, in his usual fashion.

He came charging into my room, screaming, "WAKE UP SAFAIA WE'RE GONNA BE LATE AGAIN!" He jumped on my bed and grabbed my shoulders, shaking me until my eyes were rolling of their own accord.

"R-R-R-Rin, stooooooop!" I yelped, trying to get my eyeballs to halt. I was able to achieve that, but the room (along with my older brother's face) kept going around and around. "Ooooohhhhhhh, my head," I moaned, shutting my eyes.

"Did you not hear me? Get up! We're gonna be late!" Rin leaped off my bed and dove for my closet. "Here, put these on!" He threw one of my uniforms at me, the skirt hitting me full in the face.

I slowly pulled the skirt down. "Late, huh?" I said. "First time for everything, I guess." Slowly, I stood up and stretched.

Rin looked at me. "Hey, I _said_, we're gonna be late! That's the third time I've said it! Is this not registering with you or something?"

"Registering," I repeated, giving him a lazy smirk. "Look at you, using big words! Aw, they grow up so fast."

"Safaia, what's wrong with you?" he suddenly demanded, stepping forward and peering into my face. "Something's going on, I can tell. You're not usually this relaxed about being late for school. Hell, you're never late!"

Scowling, I pushed him back out of my personal space. "Nothing's wrong," I said, turning to pick up my shirt.

He caught my wrist. "Yes, there is," he said. "What's going on? Is it about Suguro?" His face darkened. "I swear, I'll kick his ass. Nobody breaks up with my sister like that and gets away with—"

"No!" I cried quickly. "It has nothing to do with—with him." Rin gave me a doubtful look.

"Say it," he demanded.

"Say what?" I asked.

"His name. I want you to say his name, and that he's not why you're acting weird."

I gulped and avoided Rin's gaze. He sighed and dropped my wrist, crossing his arms. He scowled at the floor. "I knew it."

"Look, Rin, it's not about him or anything that happened. I swear—"

"That's bullshit and you know it." Rin stepped closer, getting in my face and giving me a serious look. I blinked and took an involuntary step back, not used to this proximity, or how he was acting. Rin was almost never this serious. "Don't lie to me, Safaia. I can tell it's tearing you apart, what he said. You're not your usual self. Normally, you would've handed my ass to me about getting up late and we'd be in the classroom by now, you having scorched my back as punishment. And Yukio and the others would be staring at us, and I'd be sitting next to Shiemi, trying to make the burning hurt less, with you in front of Suguro and Shima, and Konekomaru next to you, and Izumo being her stupid self, sitting on the opposite side of the room with you two trading glares, and that stupid vegetable in the back playing with his puppet, and everybody wondering just how the hell you and I made it in time for first period."

I blinked. "How…?" I managed.

"Give me _some_ credit," he said. "I notice a lot more than you guys think I do."

I hung my head. "It still hurts," I said in a soft, hoarse voice. The only reason I wasn't crying by this point was my sheer willpower and unwillingness to shed any more tears.

Rin wrapped me in a tight hug. "I know," he said. "And I know all the beat-downs I'll be giving Suguro for hurting you won't help, either. But we've gotta still go to school and face the others. Life goes on, even when your personal life is going to hell in a hand basket."

I clutched Rin around his middle and buried my face in his shoulder. He was, surprisingly, right. Just because my world felt like it was ending didn't mean everybody else's was. The words that…Suguro…had said still hurt, but I could soldier on. I would have to.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the hug and gave my brother a sad smile. "Thanks, Aniki," I said. "I needed that."

"Well, I was deciding between that and just giving you a whoop on the head," he said, shrugging. "But I'd figure this would have better, less painful results."

I giggled. "Look, I'm gonna get dressed, so you're gonna have to leave," I said, pushing him to the door. "I promise I'll be out in just a minute. Swipe me a bun for breakfast or something and I'll meet you in the classroom, ok?"

He looked over his shoulder at me. "You know we're not actually going to be late, right?"

I felt my face darken. "_What_?"

"Uh…I kinda-sorta gotyouupearlytomakesureyouwereok?" he said, rushing the words together in an effort to make me not notice.

My eyes narrowed. "GET. _OUT_!"

Rin yelped and ran out the door, screaming an apology and a promise to make breakfast, which would be full of bacon and pancakes with blueberry syrup, he assured, right away.

I sighed and sat down, hugging my stomach. Usually, I was starving in the morning, but I just didn't feel like eating today. I hunched my shoulders and stared at where I'd thrown…_his_ jacket off to the side, near my window. It was crumpled and wrinkled badly. I winced when the memory of him giving it to me surfaced and looked away. I couldn't stand it.

Taking a deep breath and letting it out again, I vowed to myself that I wouldn't look at it. I kicked it under my bed. _Out of sight, out of mind,_ I told myself. With that done, I went about getting ready for school.

* * *

><p>Rin and I were actually on time for cram school, for once. Well, for once for him, anyway. We stood outside the door to our classroom, both of us a bit nervous. Rin was tense beside me, shifting from foot to foot and sucking down a juice pack, while I just stared at the floor. I cast a glance up at my brother.<p>

"Did you actually comb your hair?" I asked, astonished.

He looked away from the door and nodded. "I had the extra time this morning, and, well…I kinda want to make a good impression…" He shrugged helplessly.

I gave him a small smile. "It looks good."

"Thanks. You do too. I like the flower clip in your hair." I blushed and nervously touched the clip holding back my bangs, nodding my thanks. He turned back to the door, taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Well, here we go." He grabbed the handle and swung the door open wide, striding in.

"Hi guys!" he said brightly.

Three pairs of eyes (four if you count the puppet) swung to us and stared.

"Um…" Rin said, looking around as he made his way to his normal seat. "Where is everybody? Where are the guys from Kyoto?"

"They're at the hospital. Miwa had to check in," Izumo said, glancing away from Rin and locking onto me as I sat down in front of her. I gulped and gave her a small nod, but she kept scrutinizing.

"Oh, right," Rin said, sitting in his normal seat next to Shiemi. "I hope they're all right."

Shiemi made a small strangled noise as Rin sat next to her. When he turned to look at her, she quickly stared at her hands in her lap, her face red. "What's the matter?" he asked. "You still scared of me?" Even though he hid it pretty well, I could tell he was hurt by her reaction.

The door opened with Yukio and Mr. Yunokawa, Yukio exclaiming something, just as Shiemi stood up and practically shrieked, "I'm not _scared_!"

"Huh?" Rin asked, standing up too. "So why are you so mad? Should I apologize or something?"

"N-No!" Shiemi said, leaning back a little. "I don't want you to apologize, but…Rin, you—"

"Mr. Okumura!" Yukio broke in loudly, grabbing Rin by the collar.

Rin looked up in surprise. "Yukio!"

Yukio motioned for me to stand up and follow. "You two start a new curriculum today. Come with me."

"We do?" Rin said, surprised as Yukio forced him to back towards the door. "Hey, hands off!" He shrugged his way out of Yukio's grip but turned to follow.

"Sorry, Mr. Yunokawa," Yukio apologized. "Please, proceed with class." He glanced over his shoulder to make sure I was coming.

The Grimoire teacher nodded. "All right."

Yukio gave the class a smile over his shoulder. "Sorry for the disturbance."

"Hmph." Rin scowled, mostly at Shiemi, and ruffled his hair to make it messy again.

"Bye, guys," I said quietly, following my brothers and slightly relieved. Shiemi and Takara just stared, but Izumo gave me a small finger-wave from below her table.

"You can't go around on your own anymore," Yukio scolded as we followed him down a set of stairs. "No more running off!"

"I wanted to talk to them!" Rin protested.

"Yeah, and what about yesterday, when I went shopping with Paku and Izumo?" I asked.

"We had you followed," Yukio said.

"Followed?"

"Wait, you and Izumo hung out? Without killing each other?" Rin asked, astonished.

"I know. It was weird."

"Indeed," Yukio agreed. "Though, the one who has been most out of character in the past few days is Shiemi."

Rin suddenly became frustrated. "Shiemi," he murmured. "Argh! What can I do?" His tail thrashed, bashing my side.

I hardly noticed, considering Yukio's next, quiet words. "I've never seen Shiemi yell like that before."

"Huh?" Rin asked.

Yukio shook himself. "Nothing," he said. Rin and I exchanged glances. "This is where your new curriculum starts." He opened a door and motioned for us to go ahead.

Inside was what looked like batting cages on one side and bench presses lined up on the other. "Whoa," I said, looking around.

"I've reserved the training room," Yukio said as Rin and I explored, him going to the cages while I checked out the bench presses. "Shura should be here soon, so don't tough anyth—"

"What's this? A batting cage?" Rin interrupted, stepping into one.

"Select mode," the machine asked him.

"It simulates battles against multiple low-level opponents," Yukio explained.

"Sounds fun!"

"Careful, Rin," I advised as he selected a level.

"Beginner mode selected," the machine barked as Yukio let out a sigh and sat heavily on the bench outside the cage.

"You're always angry these days," Rin commented as the machine announced he had ten seconds until the game started. He selected one of the wooden swords from within the cage. The machine whirred and suddenly started spitting tennis balls at him at an alarming speed. "Whoa!"

"I'm not angry," Yukio said as Rin swung and missed a ball. It bounced off the cage behind him, while the next caught him in the forehead. I couldn't help but cackle.

"No, I think you are," Rin said. "When you're angry, I can tell right away. And shut up, Safaia." He leveled a glare at me and reset the machine to try again while I sat next to Yukio.

Yukio gave a faint smile. "Don't try to play the big brother just because you came first."

"Then I'll play the big sister and tell you that I think he's right," I said. "You've been more tense than usual, Yukio." I playfully elbowed his side. "C'mon, tell Aniki and Nee-chan what's wrong."

He slapped my arm away. "Do you two even understand what you've done?" he asked. "Stop goofing around and be serious for once."

I heard another tennis ball hit Rin. "Ow! Serious? Why should we be serious? I mean, c'mon, what's worrying about it gonna solve? That's not the problem. Worrying about it for a _day_ is enough for me." You could practically hear his cocky grin. "I'll do my soul-searching in battle!"

Yukio turned to me. "Please tell me you're taking this more seriously than him," he pleaded.

I shrugged. "I'm not as laid back as he is about it, but I'm not as strung up as you," I said. "Yeah, I'm worried. I mean, the penalty for us even living is death. But don't we all die at some point or another?"

Laughter made me and Yukio look up and Rin stop playing in the pitching machine. "Well, _you_ sure are chipper today, Rin!" Shura said, striding in. She wore a small, flower-pattern kimono and had the Kurikara thrown over her shoulder, my knives tied together and dangling from the hilt. In her other hand was a bulging bag marked "candles." "Foolishly relaxed and chipper, Rin." She smirked. "At least your sister has a more down-to-earth outlook on the situation, even if she's more relaxed than she should be."

"Shura!" Rin exclaimed.

"With your tail out, you look like a monkey," she observed, laughing. "Just like a moron, the perfect look for you!"

"Stop calling me a moron!" Rin whined. "It's constraining to hide it, so I feel better this way!"

Shura looked at me. "And you, Safaia?"

I felt my pointed tail twitch and snake out from behind me. I had the furry one follow. "It does feel nice," I admitted. "Not so restraining anymore."

"That's nice, but," Shura said, scratching her head, "with me and Yukio watching you, you're gonna feel even more constrained. You two won't ever be out of our sight, you got that?"

I nodded seriously, while Rin gave a bright smile and said, "I got it!"

"No, I don't think you do!" Yukio exclaimed, a distressed look on his face. When we all looked at him, his expression changed. "Um…I've got an hour until my next class. Mind if I watch?"

"You worried?" Shura asked, though she wasn't teasing.

"A little," Yukio admitted.

Shura nodded and turned to me and Rin. "What're we gonna do?" Rin asked eagerly.

"Well, first you need to master your flame." She pointed to the bag she'd brought. "There are candles in that bag."

"Candles?" Rin said.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Rin, all the homework you've missed since your very first day of school is in there."

"Really?" he asked a little fearfully.

"No, you moron!" I exploded.

He flinched, then grinned and gave me a thumbs up. "There's the Safaia I know!"

"Yeah…anyway," Shura said. "Line up three of the candles…" She held up three fingers "…then simultaneously light the outside two, leaving the center one untouched." She put down the middle finger. "You don't need your sword or knives, right?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That's it?"

Shura looked at me. "Yup," she said. "Wanna take the first try?"

I rolled my eyes again. "Line them up," I said, crossing my arms.

Rin hurriedly put the candles in order on the floor a few feet in front of me. I took a deep breath and slowly let it out through my nose, focusing on my flames. I opened the tiniest of holes in my mental wall and willed the flames to appear on the two outer candles.

_Poof_. Blue flame calmly appeared on the wicks of the candles and began to melt the wax.

"Wow!" Rin exclaimed, studying the candles. "That was cool!"

"How'd you control them so easily?" Shura asked.

I shrugged. "My power hasn't been sealed until now," I said. "Ever since I was a little kid I've had to keep the flames in check. As I got older I experimented more. Candles are easy."

"Really now," Shura said, cocking her head to the side. "Rin, Yukio, make a big circle of candles around Safaia." My brothers hurried to comply, making a wide circle of candles.

"Go on," Shura said. "Light them. I want to see every other candle lit, all at the same time." She crossed her arms waiting.

Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply. As I let it out slowly, the candles Shura had commanded me to light flickered to life, all at the same time.

"Wow!" Rin cried again. This time he clapped. Shura was smirking in satisfaction, and even Yukio looked a little impressed.

I shrugged. "Told you it was easy."

Shura rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Well, I guess you get to skip that part of the training," she said. "You get to move on."

"Hey! What about me?" Rin whined.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Trying lighting the candles like I explained earlier," she said, tossing three more at him.

He caught them and lined them up. "Okay! Got it!" He sat down across from the candles and stared hard, wrinkling his face and pointing at the outer two candles with his hands. He grunted for about five seconds before bursting into flames and making us jump. The candles melted to a wax puddle on the floor.

"I said _light_, not _melt_," Shura said as I hurried to suck up the smoldering flames before anyone was hurt or anything burned.

"One more time!" Rin cried, frustrated. We set up another three candles and he tried shooting a jet of flame, but only hit the right one, melting it.

"Are you even trying?" Shura asked.

"Again!" Rin demanded. Another three candles were set. His aim was better this time, but he hit all three.

"Nope, don't light the center one," Shura said.

"Again!" This time he lit the left, then the right.

"Nope. Can't light them one after another."

"Argh! It's too hard!" Rin howled. He pouted and glared at me. "How come you can do it but I can't?"

I scowled at him and said, "I told you, I didn't have a block on my flames like you. I had to control them ever since I could remember, so of course I have better control than you!"

"You probably had to do a lot of meditation as a kid, huh?" Shura said.

I blinked. "Yeah. Until I was eight. How did you know?"

"Meditation is a form of controlling energy," she explained. "Generally it's about controlling your thoughts and, to some extent, your energy. Since the use of your flames are connected to your willpower, meditation is a good way for a young half-demon to learn control."

"So in order for me to be able to light the candles, I need to meditate?" Rin asked, confused.

"You're too far past that stage to start now," Shura said. "While Safaia's been able to meditate and release her flames—albeit in small amounts—you haven't. Your power has been building since the day you were born, with no outlet. Your fire's been bottled up for the past fifteen years with no release. It's no wonder you go berserk as soon as you draw your sword."

"Your demon side's been repressed," I said, understanding dawning. "That's why your flames go out of control so much faster than mine."

"Which is why the candles is the best way for you to learn control," Shura agreed, looking at Rin again. "You need to let your flames out, but if you let out too much, you'll end up doing damage. The candles make you focus, doing smaller amounts more accurately. Do three sets every day until you can do it and pick your nose at the same time!"

She looked at both of us. "When you're not doing that you'll also be training your muscles and studying."

"That's all?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"What about my sword? There isn't much time!" Rin cried.

"Do you know _why_ your flame dominates you when you draw your sword?" Shura asked. "Other than the fact you demon side has been forcefully suppressed?"

"Um…"

"Because you're afraid." Rin blinked. "So it overpowers you."

She turned to me. "Same with you."

"Me?" I said, surprised. "But you saw—"

"What I saw was you handling the small scale," she interrupted. "As long as you don't go over a certain limit, you seem to be fine. It's when you use too much, like drawing your knives, is when you lose control. The reason you never lost control before was because you forcefully sealed your flame away, in your mind, and now that Mephito put that block on you, you've become to relaxed. You have the same problem as Rin. You fear your own power. Build confidence in using your flame, both of you. Then you can used the Koma sword and your knives."

Rin nodded seriously. "All right."

I nodded as well, but still had one question. "So…do I have to do the candle exercise, too?"

"Maybe not as much as Rin, since you've got a good handle on small scale," she mused, "but try to light some at least once a week. Hell, try for a whole roomful!"

I grinned. "I know exactly where I can practice."

Shura nodded. "Good. I'll be sure to get you a supply. For now, you're going to be doing something different." She motioned me into a batting cage. "I'll set it to beginner. I want you to light every ball it shoots at you, one at a time."

"_All_ of them?" I gulped, remembering the speed at which the balls had flown at Rin earlier.

"You bet," she said cheerfully. "Have fun!" She shoved a pair of wooden daggers in my hand (where had she gotten them?) and started the machine.

I yelped and quickly unsheathed the knives. It'd be easier to light the tennis balls if I could use the knives to channel my flames.

The machine whirred and spat three balls in rapid succession at me. I gasped and pointed to the first two with my knives, lighting them. They whizzed by my head, crackling. The third, however, I didn't have time to dodge or light, and it caught me at the point where my forehead, eyes, and nose all met. "_Ow_!"

Shura cackled while I growled, rubbing the spot, and the machine barked, "Select mode."

"Not as easy as it looks, is it?" Shura snickered.

"Shut up! I can do it!" I reset the machine and tried again, with similar results. This time, though, the third ball bounced off my shin.

"Just keep at it," Shura said, smirking. "You'll get it eventually."

I glared at her and reset the machine. "Piss off." Rin gave me a thumbs up from behind her back and winked. I rolled my eyes and readied myself for the onslaught of tennis balls.

I concentrated. The first ball was spat towards my right. I lit it and used the wooden knife in my hand to bat it away.

Unfortunately, I had been so focused on the first ball, the second one was too close for me to do anything but dodge. I ducked to the floor and it sailed over me, hitting the fence, and the third followed after a moment.

I scowled and kicked the balls to the side, making sure they all burnt to a crisp in the corner. I didn't like this anymore.

A gunshot made me jump and whirl to see Yukio and Shura taking on their own machines, though at a much faster pace and with more skill than me. I watched, amazed, as Yukio shot down four balls with his left hand pistol while reloading the right one. Shura merrily wacked the balls to the side with one of the wooden swords from her cage. Somehow they were able to carry on a conversation, and a serious one from the words I could hear over Yukio's pistols, while doing this.

I scowled even harder. How come they could do it while I couldn't?

I glared at the machine. "All right, you," I snarled, hitting the button for beginner mode. "One more time. One last damn time."

I closed my eyes and concentrated. If I could move so fast and be in places in the blink of an eye, shouldn't I be able to _see_ what was happening while I was going that fast?

Something clicked inside of me and I opened my eyes. It had worked! I was going so fast everything seemed to be in slow motion, even me. The first ball was halfway to me, rotating in a lazy circle and aiming for my chest. I willed it to light on fire and, slowly, flames sprouted. It was like watching a flower bloom. The flames started from the bottom and consumed the top.

I turned my attention to the next ball. Only about a foot behind the first, it was going straight for my head. I stared at it until my flames flickered onto that one too. By this time the first one was almost to me. I lazily batted it away with my right wooden dagger and pushed the second ball away with my left.

I looked at the final ball. Heading straight for my forehead, my newest enemy was rotating forward and hell-bent on getting to me. I smirked and waited until it was about to hit me before lighting it up like a firework and watching it burn right in front of my eyes, slowly, satisfactorily.

Time sped up again. I tipped my head back as the last ball whizzed over, hitting the cage behind me. I took a deep breath, letting reality sink in. When it did, I felt giddy, better than I had in the past few days. "Rin! I did it!" I cried, straightening and turning to my older brother, a wide grin on my face. "Did you see? I got all three—"

_**FOOM**_. Bright blue flames consumed my vision and the batting cages next to me. For a long moment, I couldn't see anything. Then, I realized what was going on, and I shrieked. "DAMN IT ALL, RIN!" I snapped, shoving my hand into the flames and wincing at the brief moment of pain. I mixed in a few of my own and sucked them all in behind my mental barrier, making them disappear in a vortex. "LEARN SOME GODDMAN SELF-CONTROL!"

Three pairs of eyes, one missing glasses, turned to stare at me. Yukio and Shura were down to their underwear, but Shura was missing her bra and had her hands covering for it. Yukio was in his boxers. Rin was just sitting where we'd left him, a surprised look on his face.

Yukio and Shura turned back to stare at Rin. "What are you doing Rin?" Yukio asked slowly, still in shock.

"Um—I just—sorry," Rin said, blinking. "B-But look! I burnt your clothes, not you or your underpants! Pretty good control, huh?"

"I…don't think so," Yukio said, glaring dangerously.

Rin yelped and jumped up, taking off.

"Oh, no you don't," I snapped, catching him by the collar as he tried to run past me. "Go give Yukio your pants and Shura your shirt!"

"Why?" he whined, struggling in my grip as Yukio answered his buzzing phone.

"_You're_ the one who burnt their clothes, so _you're _the one who has to cover them!" I said, shoving him back towards the two Exorcists. "Start stripping!"

"Aw, _man_," Rin complained, taking off his shirt and tossing it to Shura. She caught it and turned her back to put it on and button it up. "Why can't you cover Yukio?"

"I'm in a skirt, moron," I said. "I don't think Yukio'd appreciate being in a skirt." The glare from our younger brother was enough to ensure Rin that he'd most definitely not.

"But how come I gotta be the one to go around naked?" Rin demanded as he handed Yukio his pants. "Couldn't you give Shura your shirt?"

"You lit this place up like Christmas," I said. "You get to go around naked. And I'm not taking my shirt off for a bunch of high school guys to see my bra!"

"I don't think her shirt would fit me anyway," Shura said, tossing Rin a fire extinguisher specifically made to counteract demonic flames. "No offense, Safaia, but compared to me, you're lacking in the boob department."

"Don't remind me." I scowled.

"There's an emergency summons," Yukio said, ending his call. "Coal tars have infested an old housing complex in North True Cross. There are injuries. One has fallen to temptaint and dozens of others have been infected."

"What's the cause?" Shura asked, back to being serious.

"Unknown," Yukio replied. "All the doctors are gathering. You're a doctor, right?"

"Um, yeah," Shura said, scratching her head. "That's fine…but we're supposed to be watching them." She jabbed her thumb over at me and Rin, where we were currently taking care of any stray flames.

When Yukio didn't reply, Shura grinned devilishly and said, "I guess we'll have to take them with us!"


	22. Chapter 20

The problem was in True Cross Academy Town, in North True Cross, Block Five, the housing area. Shura and Yukio didn't know the details, but Rin was pumped, wanting some action after almost straight training with our flames. Me, I was bored. I couldn't have cared less. I figured people were having trouble with goblins in their attics or something. I would've preferred to stay in my dorm room, curled up in the fetal position. Either way, I figured I was going to be bored or in a sour mood for the entire expedition.

Oh, how wrong I was.

"Damn," I said as we neared the area in question, pushing through the throng of people to the police tape. "Some crowd."

"It's too hot for this," Shura complained. "Let's go home."

"All right!" Rin cheered, punching a fist into his other hand. "Time for some action!"

Yukio stayed characteristically quiet.

"It's not safe beyond this point!" some blond guy with a whistle was barking at the crowd. "Everyone stay back!"

"Good work," Yukio said, coming to the front of the crowd and raising a hand of greeting to the man.

"Oh, Okumura," he said, a little surprised. "And Kirigakure. This way, please." After barking to the crowd one last time, he directed us to a small, frail-looking man with glasses a girl crouching in front of him, applying first aid to his face.

"Sorry we're late," Yukio said as we approached him and the barker headed back to the crowd. "I'm Intermediate First Class Exorcist Yukio Okumura." He held up his license for the man to see.

"I'm Kirigakure," Shura moaned, holding up her own license. "Senior First Class."

"I—I'm—Um, who're they?" the man asked, looking at me and Rin.

Rin grinned the cocky grin he'd been developing for the past half hour or so that it'd taken us to get here. "I'm Rin Okumura! An Exwire!" he said confidently, pointing to himself with his thumb. "Here to save the day!"

I rolled my eyes. "Safaia Okumura, Exwire. I'm here to keep this one—" I jammed Rin in the ribs "—in line. Don't worry, we won't be in the way and won't cause any trouble." I gave him a fake smile and then muttered under my breath, "If we can help it."

"It's y-you!" the man cried, backing up a little. "But aren't you two dangerous?" I saw Rin deflate a little.

"Your concern is understandable," Shura said. "But the Law Enforcement Division approved it. Plus, we're stuck with them, so it's not like we had a choice. I'll keep them in check. Don't worry. And the girl's pretty good at keeping the boy under control." She clapped a hand on Rin's shoulder and he growled, shrugging it off.

"What's the situation here?" Yukio broke in. "Who's in charge?"

"M-Me," the man stuttered. I hoped that wouldn't be a recurring theme with him. "I'll explain."

"But in your condition!" his medic protested.

"No, let me explain!" he said. "I'm Saburota Todo, Senior Second Class Exorcist and Warden of the Deep Keep. It all b-began—" I resisted the urge to slap him to keep him from stuttering, since I knew it would probably only worsen the situation and not give me any good marks with anybody "—when someone s-stole the Left Eye of the Impure King from the Deep Keep!"

"Left Eye? Impure King?" I asked, confused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

My questions went unanswered. "How did that happen?" Shura exclaimed over me. "The Deep Keep is behind the strongest magical barriers!"

"We s-still don't know how it happened," Todo said. "I pursued a masked man here with an elite force from the Keep, but he used a child as a shield! Now he's h-holed up in the building. What's more, the gas has spread, affecting thirty-one people, including civilians, and we don't have enough doctors. Th-The boy's exposure was severe. He's probably dead by now.

"And that man stole the Left Eye!" Todo suddenly yelled. "It's an unprecedented failure for the Knights of the True Cross!" He looked frantic and about ready to burst into tears.

I frowned. He didn't seem like a good guy to put in charge of something as important-sounding as this Deep Keep. He seemed like a real flake to me. Then again, Mephisto was in charge of True Cross Academy. The Vatican heads must've had a few screws looser than I'd imagined.

"Please calm yourself," Yukio said, business-like. "We'll address this as best as we can."

"That masked man," Shura asked, "is he tough?"

"Um…" Todo said. "I don't know. He just f-fled, without fighting back. He may be h-human or demon."

"We need to hurry," Yukio said. "Ms. Kirigakure and I will—"

"Pardon me, but," a voice said from behind us. We all turned to see a woman standing there, her hands clasped together to her chest. "Will my son be all right?" She sniffed loudly and I could see she'd been crying. "You've got to help him!" Her chin trembled.

"Are you his mom?" Rin asked, giving her a nice smile. "We're on it, so don't worry! I promise we'll rescue him!"

Yukio grabbed his collar and forced him back from the woman.

"We cannot guarantee the safety of your child," he said seriously, making the woman gasp and about to burst into tears again. "You should prepare for the worst."

"But…!" the woman gasped.

"Hey!" Rin and I protested together.

"You're staying behind, Rin," Yukio said, turning away. "Watch him, Shura."

"Sure," she said. "I just thought of something for us to do, anyway. C'mon, Rin." She hooked Rin around his neck and dragged him off, protesting loudly.

"Safaia, you're with me since you have better control," Yukio said. He turned and began to walk off.

"On small scale," I said. "And what about that boy? What about his mother?"

"Which is all you'll need," he said, ignoring my questions. "Come on."

"Damn it, Yukio!" I grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "That kid needs rescuing! Are you telling me you're not going to even _try_?"

He grabbed my shirt and hauled me up a little so I was at his eye level. "Exorcists aren't omnipotent!" he snapped. "Sometimes we _can't_ help. So you shouldn't make promises!"

"Don't give up before you try, idiot!" I said, smacking his hands off me. "At least give the boy a chance before you put him on the funeral pyre and give the ashes to his family!"

"Don't you see? I can't!" he practically yelled. He took a deep breath and lowered his tone. "You may think you're invincible, Safaia," he said once he'd calmed down a little, "but most of Exorcists are not. We're vulnerable in ways you're not. We can't all heal like you and Rin can. And with something as powerful as the Left Eye of the Impure King, we simply can't guarantee that that boy will be returned safely to his mother. The most I can promise you is that if we see the boy, we will try to save him, but retrieving the Eye and returning it to the Deep Keep is our first priority. Understand?"

I scowled. "Fine," I said. "But if I see that boy, I'm getting him no matter what. If I see him I'm screwing the Left Eye and going to rescue him. Shoot me if you want to, try to stop me, but I _will_ save that boy, even if you plug me in the back with your pistol and I have to use my flames to get him out of there in front of God and everyone. Do _you_ understand?"

"I could have you go with Shura and Rin," he threatened hollowly.

"And lose even more precious time tracking them down to make sure I went with them when you could be finding the man and the boy," I said. "Give it up, Yukio; this is a sibling fight you're not going to win."

He ground his teeth together. "Fine. Whatever. Let's go." He turned and stalked off. I followed after him, feeling a bit better after taking him down a peg or two.

* * *

><p>"Here," Yukio said, shoving a body suit my way. "Put this on."<p>

Hesitantly, I took the suit and sniffed it. "Ew! It stinks!" I plugged my nose and tossed it to the side. "Thanks, but no thanks, Yukio. I think I'll be fine without it."

Yukio frowned. "There's poisonous gas in that building, Safaia," he said. "We don't know if it will affect you or not, and I'm not taking that risk. Put the suit on." He picked it up and held it out to me.

I blinked. "Yukio…"

"You're my sister, Safaia," he said quietly. "We may not have known it for long, but I still don't want to lose you."

I took the suit. "Alright," I said softly.

Yukio nodded and started to pull on his own suit.

"Um…Okumura?"

Yukio and I both turned to see Todo standing behind us in his own body suit. "Mr. Todo?" Yukio said, surprised.

"I sh-should go, too," he explained, adjusting his mask.

"You're not afraid to have me going with you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"D-Don't get me wrong, I'm still t-terrified," he said, giving me a wary, scared glance, "b-but you're n-not as scary as your elder brother."

"Good to know," I said sourly, going back to struggling with my suit.

What about your condition?" Yukio demanded.

"I received an antidote," Todo said. "I'm responsible for this. I want to go."

Yukio nodded. "I understand. Let's go. Come on, Safaia." He picked up his pistol and a birdcage that had a cheeping bird in it. "I'll take the lead. Safaia, you're with me. Mr. Todo, you stay in the middle. The rest of you take up the rear."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

><p>We wondered the building for a while, Yukio leading with the bird. The stupid thing wouldn't shut up and it was beginning to get on my nerves.<p>

"Despite your troubled background and youth, I hear you do excellent work Mr. Okumura," Todo said, trying to break the awkward, tense silence.

"I know the Todo family is an illustrious one," Yukio replied, "that has always watched over the Deep Keep, but I don't know much about the Left Eye. What is it?"

"The Left Eye of the Impure King," Todo said. "Over a hundred and fifty years ago, in the late Edo period, a demon killed over forty thousand people with infectious diseases and fevers. An Exorcist plucked out the demon's eyes. They release a highly toxic gas."

"Does the Right Eye also exist?" Yukio asked.

"Yes," Todo answered, "but only Sir Pheles and a few others know where it is."

"Figures," I muttered a little loudly. "Of course Mephisto knows where it is, the damn creepy clown."

"Is she allowed to say that about Sir Pheles?" I heard one of the others behind Todo whisper.

"We all think it," the other replied, voice also a whisper. "Besides, that's Satan's daughter. Be careful what you say!"

"I can _hear_ you, you know," I grumbled over my shoulder. They squeaked and quickly shut up. Damn minor characters. (1)

"So what's the bird for?"

"Hm? It's a pseudo-canary," Todo said. "They sing constantly but stop when they sense poisonous gas. So when we get close to the masked man…"

"Uh-huh," Rin said, absorbing every word with more attention than I thought possible was from him. Hold on—

"RIN?!" Yukio and I shouted.

"What are you doing here?!" Yukio demanded. "Where's Shura?!"

"I gave her the slip," Rin said simply. "It's ok, isn't it? As long as I'm with you?"

Yukio let out an exasperated sigh.

"Why did you come?" I demanded, hands on my hips.

"I promised I'd save that boy!" Rin snapped. "I can't just sit around!"

Through the suit, I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Did it ever occur to you even _once_ that I had it handled?"

"Two is better than one, right?" he said. "I came to help! How about I carry the bird?"

After a moment, Yukio sighed. "Okay," he said, handing the canary to Rin, "but don't cause any trouble!"

"Since Rin is fine, can I take this stupid thing off now?" I asked, waving my arms.

Yukio relented. "I just can't win today," I heard him mutter as I shed the stinky suit.

Just as I chucked the suit to the side, the bird final shut up. "It stopped singing," Rin said, holding the cage up. "The masked man must be near."

A shadow moved down the hall from us. "There!" I cried, seeing a gas mask over the black figure's face.

The masked man stared at us. He had a glass container with a funny-looking black ball floating in it. That had to be the Left Eye.

My gaze drifted to the floor behind the man. A young boy lay there, wheezing with giant boils all over his body.

"The boy's alive!" Yukio said, surprised. "But his condition's serious. We have to hurry! Safaia!"

"I understand," I said, crouching to a ready position. At the right moment, we could save the boy and take out the masked man at the same time.

The man started shuffling to us slowly. Yukio brought up his pistol. "Stop right there!" he yelled.

The man took another step.

"Stop!" Yukio yelled again. "One more step and I'll shoot!"

The man took a step…

…and promptly dissolved into a black mist, dropping the container holding the Left Eye. The glass shattered and the Eye bounced on the floor.

"He—He disappeared!" I said, shocked, as Rin hurried over to the boy. "I—I didn't see where he went!"

Yukio picked up the Eye and squeezed it. "This is a _fake_," he said, astonished.

_Wham_! Something hit me from behind and sent me sprawling to the floor, Yukio right behind me.

"M-Mr. Todo?" Yukio said, stumbling.

"Ah, well…" Todo said as I rolled over and got to my feet. I watched, wide-eyed, as the black mist from the masked man dissolved Todo's body suit. Was it just me, or were there _horns_ on his head. "Now my secret's out. At least I can still buy some time."

"Rin! Safaia!" Yukio barked. "The boy needs attention! Take him outside!"

"You got it!" Rin said. "Safaia, catch!"

He tossed the boy to me and I caught him. "Hang on, kid," I said, adjusting his weight so I'd be easier to carry. "I promised I'd save you, so you better not die on me!"

I flung out a hand, concentrating my flames into a swirling ball the size of my fist. Grimacing and aiming at Todo, I shot the ball him and ran for the opening he created when he dodged it, Rin right behind me.

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," Todo said, ducking the ball and releasing a black mist at us. Rin turned to intercept it, flaring up and engulfing the mist in a wide tornado of blue flames.

Unfortunately, some of his flames spread to me and the boy. I barely noticed it, but the kid sure did. He started screaming in pain and I nearly dropped him in surprise.

"Rin! Stop! You're hurting the kid!" I yelled over the roar of the flames. I dropped to my knees, tucking the kid close and trying to block as much of the fire as I could with my body.

The flames disappeared and Rin's footsteps thundered to me. "Oh, shit! Is he ok?" he asked desperately, kneeling down next to us.

"I think so," I said. Suddenly the boy started convulsing, like he couldn't get enough air. "Crap!" Desperate, I shoved the boy at Rin.

"What's going on?" Rin cried, adjusting the boy in his lap.

"I don't know! I'm not a doctor!" I shrieked. "Put him back on the floor! Maybe he just needs air!" Rin did and I pinched the kid's nose shut. "Take a deep breath and release it into his lungs!" I ordered, trying to keep myself from becoming hysterical. Rin took a breath deeper than I thought was possible and pressed his lips to the kid's pushing his air into the boy's lungs.

"Again!" I cried when Rin came up for more air. "He's still not breathing right!" Rin repeated the process twice more before the boy started breathing better.

I looked back to see Todo standing over Yukio. "I came to hate my family, this organization, and the whole world!" Todo was saying. "And them, I saw the light! I finally felt complete!"

"Sounds like a personal problem to me," I told him, charging and aiming a kick for his collarbone. He blocked it with ease and used my own momentum to propel me into the wall. I grunted as my back slammed against the wall and I crumpled to the floor in mild shock.

"Every heart has its weaknesses," Todo said, placing a hand on my throat while I was still unable to move. He lifted me and pressed me against the wall, my feet dangling two inches above the floor. He turned his head to look back at Yukio, who was still on the floor. "Is that what you are afraid of?"

I snarled. "Be…afraid of…this!" I choked. My flames burst out over my skin, eagerly licking at Todo, who jumped back and dropped me. I reached for my throat instinctively, gasping for air.

"Well, it's about that time, anyway," he said, checking his watch and shaking his hand the flames had touched. "Time to clear out." His back cracked. "Oh, my back…"

"What're you…" Yukio started, trying to get back up.

"I'm glad I had this chance to talk with you," Todo said.

"Bastard," I grunted, struggling to my feet. "Don't think you're getting off so easy!"

Todo cocked his head thoughtfully at me. "You're still recovering from choking," he said, starting to disappear. "I doubt you're much of a threat right now."

He turned back to Yukio. "You may not understand now," he said, "but in time, you will, from head to toe. And when _that_ happens, I'll be there to welcome you, Yukio Okumura."

"Stupid son of a bitch!" I snapped, diving at what was left of him. As soon as my fingers touched his skin, he exploded into black mist and disappeared in the shadows.

"Fuck!" I swore. "Rin! How's the kid?" I ran over to where my brother was still crouching.

That seemed to snap Yukio out of his shock. "Rin!" he cried, hurrying over as well.

"Yukio! How can we help him?" Rin asked, worried. "My flame burned the growths! And when his body tried to recover, they got worse!"

"There's no time!" Yukio said, peeling off his bodysuit. "I'll treat him right here!"

"Will you be alright?" Rin asked. "Let me or Safaia—"

"No," Yukio snapped. "You've done enough for one day!"

Rin visibly flinched, but Yukio didn't seem to notice. He adjusted the boy so he was in his lap and pulled out a leather casing that held rows upon rows of vials with needles and clear liquids in them. Carefully, he began inserting the needles, one in each growth.

He hesitated on the last one, his breathing ragged and his hands shaking. The end of the needle twitched with every shake of his hand, dangerously close to puncturing the boil.

I saw what he was going to do a moment before he did it. "Yukio!"

He rammed the needle into his upper arm, blood leaking out from the puncture. "Yukio!" Rin echoed, louder. Yukio grimaced and reached for another vial, his hands much more steady this time. Quickly and carefully, he pushed it into the last boil and breathed a sigh of relief.

"You ok, Yukio?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Fine," he said a little hesitantly. "I—I'm fine." He started pulling out the empty vials. "He should be fine from here on out. The vials have the antidote for the growths. They'll disappear after a few hours." He gathered the boy up in his arms. "Come on. Let's get him back to his mother."

* * *

><p>When we exited the building, we were greeted by the boy's crying mother. She ran to Yukio, who handed her the boy. She pressed her face close to her son's, crying and thanking us (and by us, I mean Yukio) over and over until she was led away by another Exorcist. "Thank you so much!" she said.<p>

"You're welcome," he said as she was led away. He gave her a large, reassuring smile.

I looked my younger brother over. Something seemed off about him. What had Todo said to him?

"Well done, Mr. Okumura," a very familiar voice said. We turned to see Mephisto walking up with Shura next to him while munching on an ice pop. "Truly excellent work!"

"Mephisto?!" Rin and I exclaimed. I scowled and crossed my arms. This couldn't be good. It hardly ever was when that clown was involved.

"But worries never cease," said clown continued, ignoring mine and Rin's outburst. "It seems this was just a diversion."

"What?" Yukio exclaimed.

"The real Left Eye has been stolen," Mephisto clarified.

"My familiar is tracking it," Shura added.

"Already?" Yukio said, surprised.

"I thought something was fishy about Todo, so I looked into it," Shura said. "And my suspicions proved correct."

"And there's more," Mephisto said, taking a bite of his ice pop. "We still don't have all the details, but an attempt was also made for the Right Eye. Isn't that just _awful_?" Somehow he didn't sound sincere. "I am assembling an elite unit for immediate retrieval of the Left Eye. Mr. Okumura, you will participate."

"Me?" Yukio said.

"Well, of course," Mephisto said, feigning surprise. "We don't know who is behind this, so I need someone who has encountered the enemy. Besides, you're _so_ talented." The more the clown talked, the more I was convinced he was gay.

"Understood," Yukio said.

"Meet at the base in one hour," Mephisto said.

"Shura, I'm leaving Rin and Safaia with you," Yukio said, turning to follow Mephisto. She agreed.

"That's one rapidly aging fifteen-year-old," she commented as they left. "He'll go bald young."

"I'm waiting for another mole to form out of stress," I said. Shura cackled.

"YUKIO!" Rin suddenly burst out. "SOMEDAY I'M GONNA SURPASS YOU! JUST YOU WATCH!"

Yukio looked over his shoulder and blinked. "You? Surpass me?" Yukio said. "Impossible. Keep your jokes to yourself."

"WHAT?!" Rin cried.

"As you can see," Yukio said, grinning, "I'm busy. I can't keep cleaning up your messes." He turned back to follow Mephisto again. "But you're free to try!" He waved at us.

"Why, that…" Rin growled gritting his teeth. "YUKIO! I'LL SURPRISE YOU SO MUCH YOUR JAW DROPS OFF!"

"Give it up, Rin," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He can't hear you over his own ego."

Rin shrugged my hand off. "Whatever," he growled. "Let's go back to the school." He stomped off.

"What's your opinion on him?" I asked Shura as we followed a few feet behind him.

"Well, he's high-strung, quick-tempered, and has a massive ego of his own," she said thoughtfully.

"So the opposite of Yukio, except for the ego. What do you think, he'll be bald by age fifty?"

"Probably, yeah."

* * *

><p><strong>Max: tft, I believe you have your answer. The reason I dropped off the face of the internet is because I was dealing with issues, so please understand. I've been trying to keep up with the story and I'll continue to try and keep up with it.<strong>

**1. Don't you love it when characters break the fourth wall? XD**


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